Contact MTL opens Asian chapter in Hong Kong - Call for new ambassadors to shine a global spotlight on Greater Montréal in Hong Kong

MONTRÉAL, Nov. 5, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - As a side event to the trade mission to China led by the Honourable Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montréal and President of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal, Montréal International and the founding partners of Contact MTL gathered in Hong Kong to officially open the Asian chapter of Contact MTL— a network of volunteers committed to promoting Greater Montréal to the world.

Close to 20 leading Greater Montréal institutions and organizations with complementary missions, networks and expertise have joined forces under the program to strengthen Greater Montréal's position as an economic, technological, cultural and higher education powerhouse.

"A metropolis is first and foremost a collective project," said Mayor Coderre. "Contact MTL is our unique opportunity to show Asian countries and the world the best Greater Montréal has to offer. I encourage everyone in China and Asia who is passionate about Greater Montréal to join the movement as ambassadors and actively promote the region around the world," he added.

Montréal International, initiator and coordinator of Contact MTL, believes that a city's ability to attract foreign investment, international organizations, skilled workers, students and international conventions is largely determined by its image.

"It is key that we continue to promote Greater Montréal internationally and showcase what the region has to offer, including its pool of skilled workers, world-class universities, creativity and potential for innovation," said Louis Arseneault, Vice President – Talent Attraction, Promotion and Communications, Montréal International. "Asian countries such as China are rapidly growing strategic markets, so it is important that we take advantage of Contact MTL, Greater Montréal's ambassador network, to increase awareness and recognition of the region's strengths in those markets," he explained.

Official Contact MTL kick-off events have already been held in Montréal, Paris and New York. The network currently has close to 1,500 ambassadors and over 4,500 followers on its Twitter accounts (@GrandMTL, @GreaterMTL).

To sign up: contactmtl.com
Anyone interested in promoting Greater Montréal by becoming an ambassador can sign up online at www.contactmtl.com. It's easy and free of charge. Ambassadors are provided with a range of tools, including a set of key messages about Greater Montréal's specific strengths, communication channels via Twitter and other social media, as well as a wealth of information available on the brand new Contact MTL web platform.

Contact MTL founding partners
Various partners teamed up with Montréal International to launch Contact MTL: Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal, McGill University, Concordia University, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), Polytechnique Montréal, HEC Montréal, Aéroports de Montréal, Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, City of Montréal, Développement économique de Laval, Agglomération de Longueuil, Palais des congrès de Montréal, Regroupement des collèges du Montréal métropolitain, Table des préfets et élus de la couronne sud, Montréal Council on Foreign Relations, and the Réseau des délégations et délégations générales du Québec à l'étranger.
www.contactmtl.com

About Montréal International (www.montrealinternational.com)
Montréal International (MI) acts as an economic driver for Greater Montréal to attract foreign wealth while accelerating the success of its partners and clients. Its role is to attract foreign investment, international organizations and skilled workers to Greater Montréal, and promote the region's competitive environment. MI also works to find the best ways to position the region as an attractive investment destination, and make recommendations to various levels of government to support Québec's job-creating, high-value-added industries.

Created in 1996, Montréal International is a non-profit organization funded by the private sector, the governments of Canada and Québec, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (Montréal Metropolitan Community) and the City of Montréal.

To view the Greater Montréal interactive business map go to: montrealinternational.com/business-map/

SOURCE Montréal International

Céline Clément, Public Relations Director, Montréal International, [email protected], 514-987-9317