Montréal, a major sports city! - Tourisme Montréal invites citizens to celebrate Olympic excellence and pay tribute to our athletes

MONTRÉAL, July 7, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The city of Montréal is set to don its Olympic colours during the Canada Olympic Excellence Day on July 9. A number of activities have been planned, including the inauguration of the Canadian Olympic House at 500 René-Lévesque Boulevard West and, in the evening, the official ceremony for the raising of the Olympic rings. Tens of thousands of people, including many Olympic athletes, will be attending the artistic and musical performances scheduled.

Tourisme Montréal and its partners join Canada's Olympic Movement and invite Montrealers to come and be part of this celebration of sports in their city.

"It's important for us to recognize the work and the career of our athletes who contribute to making Montréal shine on the world stage. Montréal is a major sports city and has everything it takes to host a wide range of sports events: modern installations, skilled trainers and high-level athletes, all matched by its first-class hospitality and the inimitable joie de vivre of Montrealers," said Bianelle Legros, Manager, Sports Market, at Tourisme Montréal. "We have also invited athletes such as Benoît Huot, Charles Hamelin and many partners to celebrate the vitality of sports in Montréal," added Legros.

"Being able to train for my sport in Montréal was essential for me. It allowed me to benefit from the support of my friends and family, while being able to take advantage of the services of a qualified trainer," said Benoît Huot, one of Canada's most decorated Paralympic athletes and holder of many world records in swimming.

"The atmosphere in Montréal when we host international events tells us something: Montréal has a huge potential for hosting major sports competitions. This is where it's happening! The athletes we meet on the World Cup circuit really like Montréal, not just for he quality of the sports events organized, but for what the city has to offer. We had the chance to compete in the World Championships here, right after the Sochi Olympic Games in 2014, in front of fans cheering the performances of the best athletes in our sport. For us, this welcome and this support is worth gold," said Charles Hamelin, short track speed skater, triple Olympic champion and holder of more than a hundred World Cup medals.

Tourisme Montréal is taking this opportunity to showcase the considerable economic development potential that sport has for Montréal. Responsible for developing and hosting national and international sports events, Tourisme Montréal has identified the sports market as one of its priorities. The organization works in tandem with several partners, including the Ville de Montréal, the Ministère de l'Éducation, Enseignement supérieur et Recherche (MEESR), Tourisme Québec, Canada Economic Development, Sport Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee.

The future of sports in Montréal looks very promising with several competitions already confirmed for years to come, including the 2015 ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup, the Canada 2016 FIS Cross-Country World Cup (Montréal stage), the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey Junior World Championship, and the 2017 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships.

About Tourisme Montréal 

Tourisme Montréal is responsible for providing leadership in the concerted efforts of hospitality and promotion in order to position the "Montréal" 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 more information, visit www.tourisme-montreal.org.

SOURCE Tourisme Montréal

Andrée-Anne Pelletier, Manager - Corporate Public Relations, Tourisme Montréal, 514 844-3344, 514 264-1638, [email protected]