Brother André's canonization provides a major boost for Montréal's faith
tourism industry

MONTREAL, Oct. 15 /CNW Telbec/ - The ceremony to officially canonize Brother André, to be held in Rome on October 17, will be celebrated by none other than Pope Benedict XVI himself. On that date, thousands of the faithful will flock to the crypt in St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, where a giant screen will broadcast live coverage of the historic event. Millions of television viewers around the world will watch the event, which will be broadcast live by several television networks and include extensive footage of Montréal. Then, on October 30, dignitaries from around the world as well as more than 40,000 visitors from Québec, the rest of Canada and the United States, will converge on Montréal's Olympic Stadium for a large thanksgiving mass to celebrate Brother André's canonization.

Well-known for its many holy sites, Montréal attracts a large number of visitors each year who come to discover its rich religious heritage. The crowds who regularly visit these sites make faith tourism extremely important for the city, as it provides substantial, year-round economic benefits.

"There is a good reason why Montréal is nicknamed "the city of a thousand bell towers," asserted the Honourable Charles Lapointe, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal. "Its rich and diverse religious heritage is a mainstay of our tourism industry. We are very proud that Brother André will be the first Québec-born man to become a saint. His canonization will cement our city's already strong position as a key destination for pilgrimages," Charles Lapointe added.

Among the many buildings of a religious nature found in Montréal, there are a number of holy sites that receive thousands of tourists from every corner of the globe each year. St. Joseph's Oratory, a popular spot for pilgrims, is one of four officially-recognized Québec shrines, the others being Notre-Dame-du-Cap in Trois-Rivières, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica in Québec, and the Ermitage Saint-Antoine de Lac-Bouchette in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.

Faith tourism is on the rise in major religious destinations worldwide and now includes much more than just traditional pilgrimages. In fact, the World Tourism Organization estimates that over 300 million people travel every year for religious reasons. Revenue from the global faith tourism industry is estimated at US$18 billion, of which $10 billion comes from the North American market. With four of Canada's five national shrines, Québec is high on the list of faith-based travel destinations that generate substantial economic benefits.

From November 13 to 16, Montréal will host the World Religious Travel Expo, which is expected to attract over 500 tour operators and tourism organizations specializing in faith tourism. The Expo, to take place at Montréal's Palais des congrès, is organized by the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) in partnership with the National Tour Association (NTA). The WRTA is the world's leading religious travel and hospitality association, representing hundreds of tour operators, travel agents, suppliers and other organizations specializing in faith tourism. Its mission is to promote and develop religious travel throughout the world. The NTA is a trade organization of thousands of tourism professionals involved in the development of turnkey travel packages. 

Tourisme Montréal is responsible for providing leadership in the concerted efforts of hospitality and promotion in order to position the destination on leisure and business travel markets. It is also responsible for developing Montréal's tourism product in accordance with the ever-changing conditions of the market.

For further information:

Pierre Bellerose
Vice President
Public Relations, Product Research and Development
Tourisme Montréal
514 844-2404
[email protected]