MONTRÉAL, Nov. 16, 2022 /CNW/ - The first post-pandemic cruise season welcomed more than 50,000 passengers and crew, surpassing our spring forecast. This summer of recovery began on May 7 with the arrival of American Queen Voyages' Ocean Navigator and ended on October 31 with the departure of Oceania Cruises' Insignia.
In total, 16 ships from 13 different companies made 45 visits during the 2022 season. These figures include 9 port calls and 36 embarkation and disembarkation operations. Despite the pandemic-related health restrictions that marked the beginning of the season, the terminals welcomed 38,000 passengers and 13,000 crew members. Four ships visited Montréal for the first time: Ponant's Le Bellot and Le Dumont d'Urville, Vantage Cruise Line's Ocean Explorer and Ambassador Cruise Line's Ambience. These last two cruise lines have already announced their return next year.
A responsible destination
Since 2017, the Port of Montréal has offered electrical shore power to cruise ships docked in its Grand Quay terminals. In response to increasing industry demand, no less than 14 ships could be connected next season.
Furthermore, Grand Quay terminals offer ships a direct connection to the quay to treat wastewater, a feature that 26 ships took advantage of this season.
Thanks to the Sustainable Destination program implemented by Tourisme Montréal, which aims, among other things, to offer passengers an eco-responsible tourism experience, Montréal was awarded first place in North America in the Global Destination Sustainability Index 2022, a world reference in sustainable tourism.
"After two years of absence, the cruise industry has made an encouraging return to Montréal. I would like to thank the cruise lines for their loyalty to the Port and to Montréal as a destination. Our teams have worked tirelessly to provide passengers and crew with a quality experience in this challenging time of recovery. With facilities offering responsible cruise industry solutions, the Port of Montréal is well positioned for the future," said Martin Imbeau, President and CEO of the Montréal Port Authority.
"It is with great satisfaction that we look back on this first post-pandemic cruise season. Montréal is a key destination on the St. Lawrence River; Tourisme Montréal is pleased to be a partner in this important sector which contributes significantly to our city's economy. We want to continue to position Montréal as a choice destination and hope that next year, even more tourists will have the chance to visit our wonderful city," highlights Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.
About Montréal Cruises
Montréal Cruises is an umbrella organization comprised of the Montréal Port Authority and Tourisme Montréal as well as five other local associations and organizations: Aéroports de Montréal, the Old Port of Montréal Association, the SDC Old Montréal, the Association des hôtels du Grand Montréal and the Ville de Montréal. For more information on cruises to Montréal, visit croisieresmontreal.com.
About the Port of Montréal
Operated by the Montréal Port Authority (MPA), the Port of Montréal is the second-largest port in Canada and a diversified transshipment centre that handles all types of goods: containerized and non-containerized cargo, liquid bulk and dry bulk. The only container port in Québec, it is a destination port served by the largest shipping lines in the world. It is also an intermodal hub with a service offering that is unique in North America, featuring its own rail network directly dockside connected to Canada's two national rail networks. The MPA also operates a Cruise Terminal and a Port Centre.
The MPA factors economic, social and environmental components into its corporate initiatives. This commitment is governed by a sustainable development policy whose guiding principles focus on involvement, cooperation and accountability. Port activity supports 19,000 jobs and generates $2.6 billion in economic benefits annually.
About Tourisme Montréal
Tourisme Montréal is a 100-year-old private, non-profit organization that works to position Montréal as an international-calibre leisure and business travel destination. To this end, the organization is piloting innovative hospitality strategies with a two-fold objective: ensuring that visitors enjoy a memorable experience and maximizing tourism economic spin-offs in a sustainable way with long-term impacts for the city. Uniting nearly 1,000 businesses and organizations working directly or indirectly in tourism, Tourisme Montréal plays a leading role in the management and development of Montréal's tourism business, and makes recommendations on issues surrounding the city's economic, urban and cultural development. For more information, go to www.mtl.org.
SOURCE Tourisme Montréal
Information: Vincent Despins, 418-655-2424, [email protected]; Montréal Port Authority, Renée Larouche, Director of Communications, 514 531-2410; Tourisme Montréal, Aurélie de Blois, Public relations and media, [email protected]
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