annual report 2011 - tourisme...

Annual Report 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS

.03 Statement of Mission, Vision, Brand and Positioning

.04 Presidents’ Message

.08 2011 Tourism Performance

.10 Business Sales and Convention Services

.18 Communications and Marketing .19 Business Market .22 Leisure Market.28 Media Relations and the Leisure Market.32 Member Services, Partnerships and Relationship Marketing.36 Public Relations, Research and Product Development.42 Finance, Administration and Human Resources.48 Members of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee,

Decision-Making Forum.49 Tourisme Montréal Partners in 2011

© Tourisme Montréal, Miguel Legault

OUR MISSION Assume the leadership in a concentrated effort to promote the city and welcome visitors by positioning Montréal as a premier destination for business and leisure travel. Create business opportunities for our members and socio-economic spin-offs for the region. Steer Montréal’s tourism product development to keep pace with constantly evolving markets.

OUR VISIONTo make Montréal the premier four-season urban destination to enjoy unique experiences in a festive atmosphere.

THE MONTRÉAL BRANDWith its intriguing mix of French and English heritages, Montréal is a European-influenced yet distinctly North American destination: a one-of-a-kind, creative city that offers a multitude of unforgettable experiences, where life is celebrated fully and passionately, every single day.

POSITIONINGMontréal is an open-hearted city inviting you to be part of an eclectic urban culture mixed with Old World charm. Each season brings new celebrations, true to Montrealers’ creativity and joie de vivre.

PRESIDENTS’ MESSAGE

© Tourisme Montréal, Mathias Berthet

The year 2011 was a productive one for Tourisme Montréal, underscored by encouraging results. For a second consecutive year, Montréal successfully led Canadian destinations in tourism growth.In 2011, Montréal welcomed 7.8 million tourists, or an increase of 1.7% over 2010, with tourist spending evaluated at more than $2.27 billion. The hotel occupancy rate rose by 2.4% and attendance at major Montréal events grew by 3.4%. In fact, 2011 was one of the best years of the decade thanks, in particular, to the considerable growth of our international clientele.

Montréal’s reputation as a premier destination continues to grow year after year. In 2011, Montréal made more than 21 of some of the most international prestigious “Top 10” lists. Lonely Planet ranked it number three in its compilation of the world’s “Best Summer Cities”; the New York Times included Montréal in its list of the “Top Ten Hippest Cities in the World”, while Frommer’s considers our destination among the “World’s 10 Best Cities for Outdoor Dining”.

We must recognize the efforts of all Montréal’s tourism partners, who have worked very hard to achieve this enviable positioning. Among them, the team at Tourisme Montréal who, year after year, pulls out all the stops to attract thousands of visitors to the city. In 2011, Tourisme Montréal invested $25 million in major advertising, promotional and public relations campaigns.

Rolled out on American, Ontario, Québec and some international markets, these tactical strategies were developed around major Montréal festivals and events. The Indiana Jones and Jean-Paul Gauthier exhibitions, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, Just For Laughs, Igloofest and many more were featured in numerous campaigns. In 2012, Tourisme Montréal will continue to support and position these major events, which allow Montréal to distinguish itself from its competitors and shine on the international stage.

Raising Montréal’s brand profile, not only in traditional media, but on all other platforms currently used by tourists, also plays a key role in Tourisme Montréal’s strategies. In 2012, the organization will make a major shift toward social media as part of its business and leisure strategies, and will launch a mobile version of its Web site over the course of the year.

The Honourable Charles Lapointe, P.C. President and Chief Executive Officer

Jacques ParisienChairman of the Board

Tourisme Montréal | Annual report 2011 05

06 Tourisme Montréal | Annual report 2011

| PRESIDENTS’ MESSAGE |This shift will propel a new niche market strategy, an innovative initiative that aims to position Montréal as a destination whose tourism offer meets consumers’ diverse interests. As a result, gastronomy, sustainable tourism, cutting-edge art, amateur sports, family, LGBT and many other niches will be at the heart of Tourisme Montréal’s strategies.

The quality of the welcome afforded to tourists, a key component of the visitor experience, will also factor among Tourism Montréal’s priorities in 2012. The organization intends to maintain its leadership in the field and will present an action plan, focusing on improved hospitality, information and services to visitors, to all of the stakeholders involved.

In the meetings and conventions sector, Tourisme Montréal launched several different initiatives over the last fiscal year with a view to stimulate a sector still faltering from a persistent decline in its American clientele and the economic troubles that have particularly hit many European countries. Thus, in 2011, Tourisme Montréal announced an investment of $2 million over the next four years in a program whose goal is to grow the number of international scientific meetings and conferences held in Montréal.

Special attention was also paid to the sports market and the results are already impressive. In 2011, Montréal was chosen as host city for the 2017 World Police and Fire Games, which means that thousands of participants from more than 55 countries will be meeting up here. In addition, 15 world-class swimming competitions will be held in Montréal from 2011 to 2017. These games and events alone should generate more than 100,000 room nights over the next several years.

While we take the time to enjoy these successes, we are well aware that many challenges still lie ahead. The increase in the hotel occupancy rate and average room rate, the realization of infrastructure projects such as the rail link between the Montréal-Trudeau Airport and downtown and the redevelopment of the Port of Montréal in order to accommodate cruise ships are just a few of Tourisme Montréal’s priorities for the future.

Montréalers have every reason to be proud of the major projects that have been carried out over the past several years. Many more yet are eagerly looking forward to the 375th anniversary celebrations of the founding of Montréal that will take place in 2017 – an occasion that will keep this spirit of rejuvenation alive and moving forward.

Thank you all.


In 2011, Montréal appeared

on more than 21 of the most

prestigious international “Top

Ten” lists. Montréal ranked third

on Lonely Planet’s list of “Best

Summer Cities” in the world and

made the New York Times list of

“Top Ten Hippest Cities in the

World”.

2011 TOURISM PERFORMANCE

© Tourisme Montréal, Martine Doyon, Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles

2011: CONTINUED GROWTH

For the second consecutive year, the key performance indicators for tourism in Montréal have seen an increase. The economic recovery has allowed for a certain rebound since 2010, particularly on international markets.

• Of a total of almost 19.8 million visitors, Montréal welcomed some 7.8 million tourists* in 2011, which is a 1.7% increase over 2010

• Tourist* expenditures were evaluated at 2.27 billion dollars in 2011 • The hotel occupancy rate for the Island of Montréal increased by

2.4 percentage points, reaching 67.6%• The number of available rooms decreased by 0.8% compared with

2010, while the number of occupied rooms increased by 2.7%• The average hotel room rate on the Island of Montréal rose to $138.69,

an increase of 1.6% compared with 2010• In total, Montréal’s tourism industry supported 45,000 jobs province-

wide in 2011


Key indicators for 2011Number of tourists*:7 776 200

Québec : 4 357 600Rest of Canada : 1 602 400United States : 967 700Overseas : 848 500

*Tourists = Persons who travelled outside their city for at least one overnight stay or longer, but for less than a year, and who used commercial or private accommodations.

2010 2011 Variations

Hotel occupancy rate (Island of Montréal) 65,2% 67,6% +2,4 pts of %

Passengers at Montréal airports 12 971 339 13 668 829 +5,4%

Visitors at tourist attractions (in millions) 18,6 19,2 +3,3%

Information requests / Information kiosks (in thousands) 111,7 97,8 -12,5%

Visits to Tourisme Montréal Web site (in millions) 2,8 3,2 15,3

Tourist spending (in $): 2 268 700 000

Québec : 591 000 000Rest of Canada : 651 100 000United States : 419 500 000Overseas : 607 100 000

BUSINESS SALES AND CONVENTION SERVICES

© Tourisme Montréal, Keven Bilodeau

BUSINESS SALES

In 2011, Tourisme Montréal’s Business Sales team added more than 277,000 room nights to the books for 2011 and future years. Throughout the year, the team and its partners have held numerous meetings and hosted familiarization tours and promotional events that allowed them to establish personal contact with more than 1,000 potential customers.

While not neglecting the U.S. market, these sales offensives have targeted particularly the international and Canadian markets. A special promotional offer for the Canadian market aimed at increasing confirmed room nights in 2012 and 2013 was among the various tactics deployed over the course of the past year.

New initiatives

In 2011, Tourisme Montréal and the Palais des congrès de Montréal also launched a new program aimed at increasing the number of international scientific meetings and conventions in Montréal. Tourisme Montréal will invest two million dollars over four years in this program which, in addition to offering financial support, provides researchers and scientists with aid in the form of professional services throughout the entire event planning process, from the submission of the bid right through to the end of the event.

Sports events also figured among priority markets this year. In 2011, Montréal was chosen as host city for the 2017 World Police and Fire Games, which will bring thousands of athletes from over 55 countries, and for 15 major swimming events, which will be held from 2011 to 2016. These events alone are expected to generate approximately 100,000 room nights for Montréal hotels over the coming years.


277 070 room nights confirmed for 2011 and future years

115 035 room nights confirmed for the Canadian market

118 300 room nights confirmed for the international market

43 735 room nights confirmed for the American market


| BUSINESS SALES AND CONVENTION SERVICES |

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND RESULTS

277 070 room nights confirmed for 2011 and future years114 site visits

15 sales missions — 170 organizations12 events — 248 organizations10 educational tours (executive summits and familiarization tours)

387 797 room nights at the business opportunity stage115 035 room nights confirmed for the Canadian market118 300 room nights confirmed for the international market

43 735 room nights confirmed for the American market4 360 room nights confirmed for the multi-hotel corporate segment

24 254 room nights confirmed for the small meetings market

2011 ACTIVITIES

International market• Cirque du Soleil event in London

(associative, United Kingdom) • IMEX (The worldwide exhibition for Incentive

Travel, Meetings and Events), Frankfurt, Germany; Montréal Networking Forum and “Evening à la Montréal” (corporate, associative, incentive, international market)

• Montréal Forum, held in Montréal (for international organizations based in Montréal)

• Mission to Europe: spa events in Brussels (14), Paris (18) and London (12) — incentive and associative

• EIBTM (The Global Meetings & Events Exhibition), Barcelona; “Evening à la Montréal” (U.S. associative and European incentive)

American market• PCMA (Professional Convention Management

Association), Las Vegas: spa event (53) — associative — and circus event (20)

• PCMA, “Breakfast in Bed à la Montréal” (associative), Las Vegas

• ASAE, St-Louis: spa event (31) — associative — and “Breakfast in Bed à la Montréal” (118)

• IMEX America, Las Vegas: “Evening à la Montréal”, “Le Rêve” show (corporate and associative)

• General Manager event, Chicago (associative and corporate)

• Special event: Lady Gaga concert in Washington, D.C.

• Special event: Bon Jovi concert in Chicago• Cleveland event: spa lunch at Experient

headquarters• Spa event, Chicago (associative)• Cirque Eloize event, Chicago• MPI/WEC, Orlando: “Breakfast in Bed à la

Montréal”



CONVENTION SERVICES

In 2011, the Convention Services team intensified their use of social media. Facebook and Twitter have proven to be indispensable tools in attendance-building strategies for conferences. Increasing attendance was also the goal of the VIP Card that Tourisme Montréal launched in January 2011. Offered to all delegates who book their accommodation directly with Tourism Montreal, the VIP Card gives access to about fifty exclusive promotional offers and was a huge hit with attendees.

Messages posted on Twitter during conventions have also attracted crowds of visitors to the Tourisme Montréal booth, where the team offered tempting promotions and a range of information on the city’s attractions and activities. As well, to get people talking about Montréal and create an unforgettable welcome for convention attendees, the Convention Services team deployed an original promotional stunt in 2011. A mobile canteen truck served up poutine on the esplanade of the convention centre during the conferences of the International Federation of Human Genetics Societies (7,700 delegates) and the American Anthropological Association (6,500 delegates). Delegates loved the stunt, as can be seen in the video testimonials posted on Youtube for the event.

In 2012, the Convention Services team will place sustainable tourism at the heart of its activities. To support this initiative, Tourisme Montréal hired a manager with specialized experience in this area in June 2011; she has been mandated with developing a support program for the conference sector to minimize the ecological footprint of hosting meetings and events. One of her tasks will be to establish a list of members who are certified by recognized organizations, according to their sectors of activity.

2011 ACTIVITIES (CONT’D)

Canadian market• “Evening à la Montréal” in Ottawa (associative)• Culinary event in Toronto (corporate and

associative)• Spa event in Toronto (corporate and associative)• SCDA, Saskatoon — “Evening à la Montréal”

All markets• Advisory Board




Housing• Booking of 24,000 reservations with an

average stay of 4.4 room nights• Coordination of 12 conventions, including

the International Federation of Human Genetics Societies, with some 7,700 delegates

Convention services• Sat on five local committees• Organized 42 site visits, accompanied

by a CSM• Seven promotional trips• 1,250 service requests• Investment of $200,000 in attendance-

building for delegates• 200,000 brochures distributed• Creation of 12 convention microsites to

incite delegates to prolong their stay• Creation of marketing pieces to showcase

Montréal’s appeal as a convention destination (Top 10’s, media)

• Five conventions participated in the Community Kindness environmental and charitable initiative

Welcoming visitors• Obtained a satisfaction rating of 9.7 out

of 10 for the services offered by Tourisme Montréal in surveys conducted with meeting planners (results compiled by the firm Vertex)

• Obtained a satisfaction rating of 99% for the Taxi Ambassadeur program (this program went from a half-day to a full day of training in 2011)

• Trained cadets and police officers from Stations 20 and 21

• Sensitization visit for customs agents• Distribution of tourist information at the

airport, the Palais de congrès de Montréal and in hotels

• Launch of the virtual version of the VIP Card for delegates

• Installation of a mobile canteen truck serving poutine on the esplanade of the convention centre during the conferences of the International Federation of Human Genetics Societies (7,689 delegates) and the American Anthropological Association (6,558 delegates)



Overview of some of the major conferences held in Montréal in 2011

Major conferences confirmed in 2012

Name of convention / event Room nights

TELUS 3 278

Society for Research in Child Development 9 065

Electrochemical Society 3 409

International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 11 703

International Fertilizer Industry Association 3 930

Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum 3 361

American Society of Echocardiography 4 205

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Engineers

4 303

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. 9 715

Ameriprise Financial Inc. 3 459

International Association of Administrative Professionals 3 941

International Federation of Human Genetics Societies 13 291

Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants 3 136

Society of Research Administrators International 3 222

College of Family Physicians of Canada 4 478

American Anthropological Association 5 946

Name of convention / event Room nights

Swimming Canada—Natation Canada 4 000

International Polar Year 8 292

Regional Dance America 4 124

Geochemical Society 5 963

Union for International Cancer Control 4 781

North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries 4 725

Microwave Theory and Techniques Society 19 594



2012 PRIORITIES – BUSINESS SALES AND CONVENTIONS SERVICES

• Renew and innovate attendance-building programs

• Collaborate with meeting planners to minimize out-of-block bookings

• Implement an exemplary system for welcoming visitors to the city

• Continue the training offered to taxi drivers as well as to police officers and cadets in Old Montréal to ensure that convention delegates feel welcome

• Promote green meetings (creation of a green sub-committee)

• Optimize the use of social media

COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

© Tourisme Montréal

BUSINESS MARKET

In 2011, as the U.S. economy began to show signs of improvement, Tourisme Montreal allocated a slightly greater budget than the previous year in marketing to meeting planners, returning to a more traditional mix of print, online and direct marketing. However, Montréal was feeling the echo of the recession, with the number of bookings forecast for 2012 and 2013 falling well below objectives.

Tourisme Montréal therefore applied a twofold strategy, combining an overarching destination awareness campaign with targeted tactics to promote a special offer for short-term bookings. Rather than addressing barriers, the focus was on promoting Montréal as a superior all-round meeting destination, an important criteria cited by meeting planners in the Watkins Research Group study, conducted on behalf of Tourisme Montréal.

Communication strategy

• Maintainacontinuousandstrongpresenceforthedestination throughout the year, with sustained coverage in key trade publications and Web sites in the United States, Canada and Europe

• ComplementmediabuyswithpaidadvertorialinCanada(Montréal supplement in the spring edition of Ignite) and in Europe (October and November issues of M&IT magazine)

• Optimizetheuseofsocialmedia• Launchofapublicrelationscampaignneartheendof2011• Deploymentofadirectmarketingcampaigninthespring

and fall to promote a special offer to confirm short-term bookings. The campaign included a direct mail piece, a microsite and e-mail blasts sent through major trade media such as Meetings & Conventions and to planners via LinkedIn


Tourisme Montréal’s business sales campaigns aimed to position Montréalas a premier convention destination.


| COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING |

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

New advertising creative• BasedonfeedbackcollectedfromtheAdvisoryBoardandonaseriesoftelephoneinterviews

with meeting planners: • threenewadsweredevelopedbasedonthe“HostCity”creative,whichhadthemost

recall among planners;• thecreativefortheEuropeanmarketwasalsorevamped;• theWebbannerdesignwasoptimized.

Direct marketing• Adirectmarketingpiecewascreatedtopromoteaspecialofferfornewbusinessbooked

for 2012 and 2013, showcasing Montréal’s distinctive qualities and style, as well as the Team Montréal partners in the campaign

• Amicrositewascreatedinsupportofthecampaign:choosemontreal2012.com

Autres outils et initiatives• Design for the newsletter and e-mail invitations for fam tours and other sales activities was

revamped• Two testimonial videos were shot and added to the Meetings Montréal Youtube channel• Support material was developed for the Conventions Services department, including new

booth display structures and other promotional tools (Top Ten lists, 11-year calendar for planners)

• Installation of mobile canteen truck serving poutine on the esplanade of the Palais des congrès to create a memorable “Montréal” experience for attendees of two major conventions

Media relations• A call for tenders was launched in 2011 to select a PR firm to assist with media relations for the

meetings and conventions market, as well as for the amateur sports market• The firm Cohn & Wolfe was retained to create a communication plan for business trade media

and Zone Franche was mandated with the amateur sports market• Hiring of an additional resource in the public relations department to coordinate activities with

the two firms and to support events being held in Montréal



“Local Influencer” campaign• Identification of key “Influencers” within the local scientific and research communities who are

likely to lead a bid to bring an international meeting or convention to Montréal• Launch of a campaign to invite these Influencers to bring an international meeting or

convention to Montréal by offering them financial aid and professional services throughout the event planning process, from the bid to the end of the event

• Creation of promotional tools in support of the campaign

2012 PRIORITIES – BUSINESS SALES AND CONVENTION SERVICES• Do more with less to optimize limited budgets • Sustain maximum visibility in trade media • Emphasize complementary approaches in media relations, public relations and social media• Develop social media strategies

LEISURE MARKET – 2011 CAMPAIGN

In 2011, Tourisme Montréal focused on its primary mission: increase the destination’s visibility in its target markets. Efforts were therefore mainly directed towards increasing awareness in both traditional media and on the Web.

However, appealing to target markets could not be achieved without making changes to the positioning and the message communicated to consumers. For this reason, in 2011, Tourisme Montréal launched campaigns that highlighted the diversity of the product, new activities and attractions and, consequently, access to new experiences. The destination’s many festivals were at the heart of communications in 2011.

The 2011 leisure campaigns rolled-out on the New York, Boston, Chicago, California and Ontario markets generated record increases in the number of visits to Tourisme Montréal’s various platforms and attracted numerous visitors.

Key message

Montréal is an open-hearted city inviting you to be part of an eclectic urban culture hosting old world charm. Each season brings new celebrations, true to Montrealers’ creativity and joie de vivre.


Montréal is an open-hearted city inviting you to be part of an eclectic urban culture hosting old world charm.

Each season brings new celebrations, true to Montrealers’ creativity and joie de vivre.




Campaigns for the United States / Canada

Objectives• IncreaseawarenessofMontréalasadestinationthroughitsfestivalsandotherthemedniches• ConvincepotentialtouriststobooktheirvacationinMontréalbyproposingenticingoffers• EncouragethesharingofMontréalexperiences

Markets• NewYork,Boston,Chicago,CalifornieandOntario

Tactics• ReinforcethecampaignwiththeadditionofChicagoasatargetmarketandtosupportthemeetings

and conventions market• Negotiateadvertisingpartnershipswithmass-marketorculturalmedia,offlineandonline• MarkettheSweetDealpackageandthethemedpackagesthroughspecializedtravelmediaand

transactional Web sites

Some results• A 15.33% increase in traffic on www.tourisme-montreal.org • 3,231,844 visitors and 2,608,192 unique visitors• An 8% increase of prompted awareness for the Chicago market• Magazine campaign reach: 5.5 million consumers• Print newspaper campaign reach: 168.9 million consumers • Increase in the number of Facebook fans and Twitter followers: more than triple in 2011• A 200% increase of visits to the “Montréal Buzz” blog


Montréal/Toronto Campaign

In May 2010, Tourisme Montréal and Tourism Toronto launched a joint advertising campaign aimed at increasing consumers’ awareness of the two destinations. In a spirit of healthy rivalry and mutual respect, this campaign, a first in Canada, positioned both products as mature, vibrant and exciting cities. Given the campaign’s success, Tourisme Montréal and Tourism Toronto repeated the experience in 2011.

Key message• Theconcept“It’soktocheatonyourcity”waskeptforasecondyear

Objectives• Increaseawarenessofthetwodestinationsineachofthecitiesthroughtheircitizens• AskMontrealerstotalkaboutTorontoandTorontonianstotalkaboutMontréalunderthe

theme: Toronto is more than a place for business and Montréal is more than a festival city.• Generateconversationandincreasetheengagementofconsumerstargetedinelectronic

media.• Acquireinformationtobuildupdatabasesandofferapackagetointerestedconsumers

Tactic• Alargeinteractivewallbroadcastingliveimagesofbothdestinationsandproposingexchanges

and contests (street fashion, dancing, etc.) to intercept the target clientele on the street, offering them an opportunity to communicate directly with residents in the other city and talk about the vitality and the creativity of each destination.

Some results• A14%increaseintrafficover8daysonwww.tourisme-montreal.org• Media:25,122,663impressions(Web,TSAposting,Zoomdisplays,interactivewall)• Publicrelations:7,868,568impressions(traditionalandelectronicmedia)




Boston campaign (ministère du Tourisme and Tourism Eastern Townships)

In response to the decrease in visitors coming from Boston over the past three years, Tourisme Montréal and Tourism Eastern Townships entered into a partnership in 2011. The goal of this initiative was to win back these vacationers with a renewed offer using the complementary themes of urban attractions and country holidays. This campaign positioned the two tourist regions as one, emphasizing the products in both areas that would appeal to Bostonians.

Key message• “VisittheregionwithEuropeanflairlessthan250milesfromhome.”

Objectives• IncreaseBostonians’interestinbothregionsasashortgetawaydestination• Presentthetworegions’attractionsandactivities,aswellastheirproximitytoBoston,by

making the experience tangible• Increasesalesofpackagesbypromotingauniqueproductanditsaddedvalue

Tactics• Interceptthattargetclientelethroughmultipleofflineandonlinecontactpoints• Reachconsumerswhentheyaresearchingfortravelinformation

Some results• A115%increaseintrafficonwww.tourisme-montreal.org• Closeto31,500visitsonthecampaignmicrosite



“Queer of the Year” campaign

Following the huge success in 2010, Tourisme Montréal launched the second edition of the “Queer of the Year” campaign in 2011. Aimed at the LGBT community, the contest’s primary objective is to revive the community’s interest in the Montréal product by inviting participants to compete for the title of “Queer of the Year”. Finalists are invited to Montréal to participate in a week of activities. At the end of the week, a winner is crowned during the closing evening ceremony of the Montréal Pride celebrations.

Some results • Fivetimesmore“Likes”ontheQOTYFacebookpage,comparedto2010• Tentimesmorepeoplesubmittedtheirnamestoparticipate,comparedto2010• ArticlesonQOTYpublishedinatleast327publications• Morethan600,000videoviewsacrossallplatforms• 9,658clicks,30,096,407impressionsand388,123uniquevisitorsonFacebook• 2,173clicksand1,850,000impressionsontheLOGOsite

2012 PRIORITIES - COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING, LEISURE MARKET

Given the weak performance of the convention sector in 2012, Tourisme Montréal plans to focus its marketing efforts on conversion over the coming year. Increasing sales of the Sweet Deal package will be a primary objective and the messaging will emphasize the city’s many attractions. Furthermore, two campaigns will concentrate on Montréal’s offer in the gastronomy and family niches.

2012 Global strategy • Position Montréal as a gastronomy destination on the United States and Ontario markets • Develop an advertising campaign targeting the Ottawa Valley region to promote activities for families• Generate “buzz” about the destination by being everywhere, not only in target markets; focus on

disseminating content that will incite consumers to convert • Maximize conversion and relationship marketing • Foster the acquisition of new clients • Implement a dynamic social media strategy

MEDIA AND LEISURE MARKET

© Tourisme Montréal, Mathias Berthet

The Media and Leisure Market team had a decisive year in 2011. In addition to its usual activities in media relations and in representing the destination to various actors in the leisure market, the team put considerable efforts into the niche strategy to be implemented by Tourisme Montréal in 2012.

Focusing on 21 niches such as cutting-edge art, cruises, family, festivals, gastronomy, LGBT, high-end travel, fashion, design and the outdoors, the strategy is supported by working groups that include local partners and includes three components: creation of exclusive content, including descriptive niche profiles, itineraries and videos; support to travel writers and tour operators, who are encouraged to build up niche-specific content and programs; an awareness campaign targeting influential Web sites in specific niches.

For these initiatives, as in all its activities, the team continued to work closely with external public relations agencies recruited by Tourisme Montréal in the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico (in collaboration with Tourisme Québec) as well as in the province of Québec. The niche strategy will remain a priority in 2012. Among the planned activities are the development of editorial campaigns with “National Geographic Traveler City Guide”, which is developing an exclusive iPad application on Montréal’s gastronomy scene, and collaboration with Spain to increase visibility for Montréal, which will be the Guest City at the Mercè festival in Barcelona in September.


Focusing on 21 niches, the adopted strategy includes three components:

• creation of exclusive content;

• support to travel writers;

• awareness campaign targeting influential Web sites in specific niches.


| MEDIA AND LEISURE MARKET |


• CampaignstargetingtraveltradespecialistsfortheBrazilianmarketincooperationwithTorontoTourism

• PressrelationscampaignsinQuébecthatincludedregularnewsletterssenttoQuébecmedia.The campaigns generated substantial spin-offs in these media

PRESS ACTIVITIES IN 2011

Outside of Montréal• Attended 14 specialized conventions and

trade shows• Met with 1,109 travel writers (this

number is much higher than in 2010 due to participation to more specialized conventions).

In Montréal• Managed 238 media visits that included

489 representatives of various media• Managed a specialized convention (SATW

Canadian Chapter) during which 36 travel writers were hosted

• Organized 24 press tours (with industry partners) that included 88 travel writers

• Managed and organized two editions of the “Today Show” television program broadcast live from Montréal in July 2011. The “Today Show” team included 33 people (this event is included in the 238 media visits)

LEISURE MARKET ACTIVITIES

Outside of Montréal• Participated in 13 specialized conventions

and trade shows and one sales mission in New England

• Met with more than 1,062 buyers (tour operators, wholesalers and DMOs) as well as with 79 travel writers

In Montréal• Managed 69 site inspections; this number

is higher than in 2010 because of the preparatory tours for Rendez-vous Canada held on Québec City

• Met with 355 buyers• Managed fam tours that included 111 buyers


| MEDIA AND LEISURE MARKET |

2012 PRIORITIES – MEDIA AND LEISURE MARKET

The development of the niche strategy will remain the priority in 2012 and will involve thefollowing:

• createstrategiesandcompletecommunicationplansfortheniches;• developeditorialcampaignswithNationalGeographicTravelerCityGuide,whichisdeveloping

an exclusive iPad application on Montréal’s gastronomy; • socialmediacampaignsforthecutting-edgeart,outdoorsandgastronomyniches;• intensifyourpresenceonemergingmarketssuchasBrazil,ChinaandIndia;• improvecollaborationwithoureventpartnersforamoreeffectiveapproachwithspecialized

media;• createandsendnewsletterstomediaspecializinginspecificniches;• subscriptiontotheCisiondatabasetodeveloplistsofmediaspecializingintheniches;• intensifyourcollaborationwithSpaintoincreasevisibilityforMontréal,whichwillbethe

Guest City at the Mercè festival in Barcelona in September.

MEMBER SERVICES, PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIP MARKETING

© Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin

Over the past year, Tourisme Montréal began extensive consultations with all members in order to accurately determine the needs and issues specific to each organization. An online survey and focus groups have helped to better understand members’ expectations.

Tourisme Montréal also wanted to inform members of the its business objectives and of the services it offers; that’s why the Member Services team held no less than 15 information sessions, which were attended by over 160 member businesses and organizations in the local tourism sector. The Espace Membres intranet communication platform has also been improved to facilitate access and encourage members to use it more frequently. The partnership model with accommodations establishments has been rethought and a new formula for the Sweet Deal was presented.

The niche strategy has also figured prominently in Member Services’ activities in 2011. Working committees have been established in order to promote the gastronomy, cruise and family niches. Several promising partnerships with stakeholders were made. In addition, a survey of restaurant owners was conducted to measure their interest in setting up a restaurant week in 2012.

Finally, in 2011, the Member Services team paid particular attention to recruiting new members in sectors that play a leading role in the visitor experience for tourists who come to Montréal. As a result, 81 new members, including 36 restaurants and 33 tourist attractions and activities, have been recruited.

In 2011, the team sought input from members by conducting a survey and holding focus groups. In light of the comments received, measures will be implemented to foster better business opportunities for members in 2012.


In 2011, the Member Services team held no less than 15 information sessions, which were attended by more than 160 member businesses and organizations in the local tourism sector.


• Conductedanonlinesurveyonmembersatisfaction

• Organizedfivefocusgroupstodeterminemembers’ needs and issues, according to member category

• Createdalocalcommitteetopromoteculinarytourism and to set up a restaurant week in 2012

• Conductedanonlinesurveyofrestaurateurstoconfirm their interest in organizing an event for the restaurant sector

• Tenuede15séancesd’informationMembership101 joignant ainsi plus de 160 entreprises touristiques membres

• Createdalocalcommitteeforinternationalcruises to position Montréal on this market; signed five financial partnerships

• Establishedpartnershipswithtouristattractions to promote the family niche

• Organizedsevensocialeventsandtrainingsessions over the course of the year

• Recruited81newmembers,including36restaurants and 33 tourist attractions and activities

• ImprovedthetravelpackagesectionontheWeb site to maximize sales for partners

• OptimizedtheEspace Membres intranet communication platform to encourage members to visit more frequently

2012 PRIORITIES – MEMBER SERVICES, PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIP MARKETING

• Meettheexpectationsofmembersasexpressedinthesurveysinordertoincreaseoverallsatisfaction• Establishsatisfactiongoalstoevaluatehowmembersatisfactionisprogressingandimprove retention rates• ImprovecommunicationsregardingtheactionsundertakenbyTourismeMontréal• Increasethenumberofnetworkingopportunitiesbetweenmembers• Revisepartnershipofferswithhotelierstoenablesmall-andmedium-sizedhotelstoparticipate• Increasetheretentionrateformembersin2012and2013• Organizethefirstrestaurantweek,whichwillbeheldinNovember2012• Providesocialmediatrainingtomembers


35Tourisme Montréal | Annual report 2011

In 2011, the team sought input from members by conducting a survey and holding focus groups. In light of the comments received, measures will be implemented to foster better business opportunities for our members in 2012.

In 2011, the development of Montréal’s tourism product has led to major initiatives in which Tourisme Montréal has played a leading role. Among them, a new partnership agreement with the ministère du Tourisme and the Conférence régionale des élus de Montréal (CRÉ) will inject no less than $900,000 into the development of tourism in the region by 2014. Several projects have already been approved by the committee responsible for the management of this agreement.

Moreover, sustainable or “green” tourism, which Tourisme Montréal has promoted for several years now, saw a significant advancement in 2011. In February, the ministre des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire and ministre du Tourisme du Québec announced $100,000 in financial assistance over two years to implement the action plan for green tourism in Montréal.

Within the framework of this agreement, Tourisme Montréal has hired a manager with specialized experience in this area who will develop and deploy a green action plan. This plan will include providing support to the convention industry to promote eco-friendly events and fostering communication with Montréal’s tourism stakeholders to apprise them of the best environmental practices implemented by companies here and abroad.

Finally, in 2011, Tourisme Montréal conducted a major survey of over 4,000 tourists visiting Montréal. Addressing both business and leisure travellers, the survey sought to gauge visitors’ impressions of the destination. The data collected was compiled to form a bank of valuable information on customer satisfaction and consumer behavior during their stays in Montréal.


A new partnership agreement with the ministère du Tourisme and the Conférence régionale des élus de Montréal (CRÉ) will inject no less than $900,000 into the development of tourism in the region by 2014.


| PUBLIC RELATIONS, RESEARCH AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT |


Product development• Signingofanewpartnershipagreementbetweenthe

ministère du Tourisme, the Conférence régionale des élus de Montréal (CRÉ) and Tourisme Montréal in November 2011. A total of $900,000 will be invested for tourism development in the Montréal area by 2014. A management committee for the agreement was created and several Montréal projects have already received support

• Meetingwithabout30promotersoftourismprojectsinMontréal, at different stages of their business plans, to share expertise or ensure coherence between partnerships

• ContinuedinvolvementwithLa Vitrine Culturelle, by assisting financially and by maintaining a presence on the board of directors for the organization

Green tourism A sustainable tourism manager was hired in June 2011, thanks to the financial assistance provided by the ministre des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire and the ministre du Tourisme du Québec within the framework of the action plan for green tourism in Montréal. This additional resource has enabled us to undertake the following actions: • providesupportfortheconventionsectortominimizethe

ecological footprint of meetings and events;• disseminatecommunicationstoMontréal’stourism

stakeholders on the best environmental practices implemented by companies here and abroad;

• createaninformationalplatformtooffertouristsadirectoryof companies that have made sound environmental practices a priority;

• consultwithotherMontréalorganizationsthathaveagreenaction plan, particularly in order to implement a collective environmental compensation project for the city’s tourism industry.

© Tourisme Montréal, Luba Markovskaia

Cultural tourism• ContinuingcollaborationwiththeVille de Montréal and

the ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine du Québec as part of a joint memorandum of action to promote active partnerships between Montréal’s cultural and tourist sectors

• Managementofamajorassistanceprogramforeventsthattotalled more than $2.7 million in 2011; nearly 30 events received support and the new rules and guidelines, revised in 2010, were implemented

Research• Conducted a survey of tourists (both business and leisure)

to determine their perceptions of the destination; more than 4,050 people were interviewed

• Updated various research tools for Tourisme Montréal’s members for the purpose of fostering tourism development for businesses in the city and the industry in general; among the tools updated on a regular basis are the database, “L’indicateur Plus”, “Le tourisme à Montréal”, “L’état du tourisme”, “Montréal Is…”, electronic information capsules, hotel performance data, studies on tourism in major cities (renewal of the agreement with Statistics Canada), economic impact models, convention report (Backlog), analysis of air connections, studies on targeted clientele segments and specific markets (HHAU, Russia, China, Spain, South Korea, India, gay, 55 years +, etc.) and other research projects



© Tourisme Montréal, Luba Markovskaia



Public relations and governmental relations Management of media relations (primarily local), partners and the community, including the following actions:• involvementinnumerouslocalandnationalorganizations(chambersofcommerce,tourist

districts, TIAC, ATR associées du Québec, etc.);• performednearly500interviewsgiventolocalmedia;• wroteanddisseminatedabout50pressreleasesandmorethan40electronicinformation

capsules sent to the 1,500 subscribers to this communication tool; • Metandfosteredworkingrelationshipswithgovernmentpartners: Ville de Montréal, CRÉ

de Montréal, ministère du Tourisme, Canada Economic Development, ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire, etc.

Tourisme Montréal Leadership Initiative The management of the mandate given to Secor helped to find innovative avenues in marketing, sales and product development for Tourisme Montréal. Some of the initiatives carried out under this mandate were a survey among the organization’s members and consultations with tourism industry leaders in Montréal and the province of Québec. Secor’s conclusions and recommendations were submitted to Tourisme Montréal’s board of directors in the spring of 2011.

2012 PRIORITIES – PUBLIC RELATIONS, RESEARCH AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

• Continue ongoing efforts to implement the main actions of the Green Plan developed by the Green Committee of the Montréal tourism industry

• Draft research documents on Montréal’s different priority niches • Participate in cultural tourism projects associated with, among others, cutting-edge art and

Montréal’s cultural neighbourhoods • Implement the new rules and guidelines for Tourisme Montréal’s Event Support Program • Intensify corporate public relations efforts with regard to business tourism and sports tourism

For Tourisme Montréal, 2011 was beneficial in several ways. The appropriation of a portion of the accumulated surplus made it possible to increase the budget to 32.8 million dollars. Thanks to this injection of additional funds, Tourisme Montréal was able to enhance its promotional campaigns in external markets and pursue the advancement of its niche strategy, reaffirming its leadership.

In addition to ensuring the sound management of resources and renewing financial partnerships, the department of Finance, Administration and Human Resources also supervised various calls for tenders over the past fiscal year. Respecting the highest standards of transparency and fairness, committees composed of outside experts, board members and Tourisme Montréal’s senior management have put forth calls for tenders for a social media strategy, for the development of a mobile site, for a media agency and for press relations agencies for the intra-Québec, business and sports markets.

As for Human Resources, the department hired and integrated 13 employees in 2011, of which 11 were replacements and two were new positions, including a sustainable tourism manager. The department also implemented an extensive campaign to enhance the standard of French at Tourisme Montréal, as well as a program aimed at improving the staff’s knowledge of and skills in using popular software programs.

The quality of its human resources and ongoing training are essential elements in the success of Tourisme Montréal. In 2012, the training of teams involved in the social media strategy adopted by Tourisme Montréal will figure prominently among the challenges faced by the department of Finance, Administration and Human Resources.


The quality of its human resources and ongoing training are essential elements in the success of Tourisme Montréal.

In 2012, the training of teams involved in the social media strategy adopted by Tourisme Montréal will figure prominently among the challenges faced by the department of Finance, Administration and Human Resources.


| FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES |

2012 PRIORITIES – FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES• Establishment of a financial incentive program for the sports market• Upgrading the Destination 3000 software• Training of teams to ensure the success of the social media strategy

© Tourisme Montréal, Sylvain Dumais



FINANCIAL DATA

Evolution of Revenue Sources between 2010 and 2011 (in millions of $)

2010 Revenue 2011 Revenue Difference

Ville de Montréal 2,4 1,3 -1,1

Gouvernement du Québec 1,4 1,2 -0,2

Gouvernement of Canada 2,2 2 -0,2

Accommodation tax 20,9 22,5 1,6

Membership fees 0,9 0,9 0

Proceeds from the Grand Prix F1 du Canada 1,6 1,3 -0,3

Partnerships 2,4 2,3 -0,1

Total des revenus 31,8 31,5 -0,3

Breakdown of Expenses in 2011

Budget allowance Tourisme Montréal Destination Marketing*

Salaries and benefits 20,9% 41,0%

Operating costs 8,7% 12,1%

Sales, promotion and advertising 70,4% 46,9%

* Average of members of Destination Marketing, according to the DMO Organizational & Financial Profile Report



The following tables show the sources of income and a breakdown of expenses by the three main categories of expenses and by department.

Tourisme Montréal – 2011 Revenue

Tourisme Montréal – 2011 Breakdown of Expenses

Accommodation tax 71,3%Private sector 14,2%Ville de Montréal 4,3%Gouvernement du Québec 3,9%Gouvernenement of Canada 6,3%

Marketing and promotion 70,4%Salaries and benefits 20,9%Operating expenses 8,7%



Tourisme Montréal – 2011 Expenses

Leisure market 35,9%Research, Development and PR. 3,0%Support for events 23,3%Administration 5,6%Finance, HR and Technology 5,0%Business Market 27,2%

Members of the Board of Directors

Michel Archambault AdministratorTransat Tourism Chair ESG

Arnold Beaudin TreasurerDirector, Strategic PlanningHeritage and Urban Development / Ville de Montréal

Pierre Bibeau AdministratorSenior Vice-President, Communications and Public Affairs / Loto Québec

Bernard Carignan AdministratorRegional Director, Eastern Canada / AVW Telav

Bernard Chênevert AdministratorGeneral Manager / Hôtel InterContinental Montréal

Jean-Paul de Lavison AdministratorPresident and Chief Executive Officer / JPdL

Yves Devin AdministratorDirector General / Société de transport de Montréal

Jérôme Ferrer AdministratorChef and Owner / Restaurant Europea

Michel G. Giguère Vice PresidentGeneral Manager / Le Centre Sheraton Montréal

David Heurtel Président-directeur général / Parc Olympique

The Honourable Charles Lapointe, P.C. OfficerPresident and Chief Executive Officer / Tourisme Montréal

Jacinthe Marleau AdministratorGeneral Manager / MONTRÉAL HIGH LIGHTS Festival

Jacques Parisien Chairman of the BoardExecutive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Astral Média Inc. and President, Astral Radio

Richard Payette AdministratorGeneral Manager / Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

Danielle Sauvage AdministratorExecutive Director and Secretary / Conseil des arts de Montréal

Marc Tremblay AdministratorPresident and CEO / Société du Palais des congrès de Montréal

Denis Vandal AdministratorDirector, Communications, Marketing and Brand Management / Air Canada

Executive Committee

Jacques Parisien Chairman of the BoardExecutive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Astral Média Inc. and President, Astral Radio

Michel G. GiguèreVice PresidentGeneral Manager / Le Centre Sheraton Montréal

Arnold BeaudinTreasurerManager, Strategic PlanningHeritage and Urban Development / Ville de Montréal

Danielle SauvageSecretaryExecutive Director and Secretary / Conseil des arts de Montréal

The Honourable Charles Lapointe, P.C. OfficerPresident and Chief Executive Officer / Tourisme Montréal

Decision-Making ForumGérald TremblayPresident of the Decision-Making ForumMayor of Montréal

Nicole MénardMinistre du Tourisme / Gouvernement du Québec

Laurent LessardMinistre des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire / Gouvernement du Québec

Gérard Breton President / Hotel Association of Greater Montréal

Michel LeblancPresident / Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal

Jacques Parisien Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Astral Média Inc. and President, Astral RadioChairman of the Board of Tourisme Montréal

The Honourable Charles Lapointe, P.C. President and Chief Executive Officer / Tourisme Montréal

2011 Tourisme Montréal Partners

Our partners often implement major destination marketing and hospitality initiatives. Many of them also actively participate in the development of Montréal’s tourism offer. Tourisme Montréal would like to thank them for their financial support and commitment to helping us attain our common objectives. Tourisme Montréal is proud to be part of these initiatives, as a partner, which increasingly attest to the shared desire of actively developing and promoting Montréal by pooling and maximizing our rich collective resources.

Aéroports de Montréal Air Canada Association des petits et moyens hôtels de Montréal Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal Canada Economic Development Canadian Tourism Commission Casino de Montréal Hotel Association of Greater Montréal Ministère de la Culture et des Communications et de la Condition féminine Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire Ministère du Tourisme du Québec Old Port of Montréal Corporation Parks Canada Port of Montréal Régie des installations olympiques Regroupement des hôteliers du Vieux-Montréal

Société de transport de Montréal (STM) Société du Palais des congrès de Montréal VIA Rail Canada Ville de Montréal Many festival and events

annual report 2011 - tourisme...

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