Annual Report

annual report 2013 Montréal takes top honours TASTE MTL was ranked in one of North America’s 20 TOP 15 food festivals 13 Fodor’s Travel © Tourisme Montréal, Mathieu Dupuis Montréal, © Tourisme

Montréal won first place among major American cities for the best foreign direct investment

fDi Magazine’s American Cities of the Future 2013/14 ranking

Montréal is one of the 14 best destinations Montréal is one of the to visit in the fall TOP 10 summer food Fodor’s Travel destinations

CNN Travel

Montréal’s Notre-Dame Basilica is one of the top 10 most romantic places to propose

Destinations Travel Magazine Montréal is the top spot in North America for hosting international conventions, according to the UIA’s official ranking

Union of International Associations (UIA)

Montréal is listed as one of the best

Montréal is listed among the top family 10 cities vacation to visit in 2013 destinations for 2013

Lonely Planet Family Vacation Critic website

Saint-Laurent Boulevard in Montréal’s Mile End is one of nine must-visit international food streets

Zagat

Montréal was crowned North America’s most bike-friendly city

The Copenhagenize Index 2013

Montréal’s Place des Festivals is one of the top 10 ultimate contemporary urban plazas

Landscape Architects Network ubin A

of rédérique Ménard- rédérique

© F TABLE contentS 03/ Message from the Board 04/ Message from the CEO 05/ Administrators 06/ 2013 Tourism industry performance and economic impacts 10/ Business Sales and Convention Services 10/ Business Sales ubin 15/ Convention Services A 17/ 2014 Priorities 18/ Communications, Marketing, Media and Leisure Market

18/ Communications and Marketing Ménard- rédérique 27/ Media and Leisure Market © F 29/ Member Services and Partnerships 31/ 2014 Priorities 32/ public Relations, Research and Product Development 35/ 2014 Priorities 36/ finance, Administration, Human Resources and Information Technologies 38/ 2014 Priorities 40/ Tourisme Montréal partners

Cover photos credits: Quartier des spectacles - © Stéphane Poulin, Aires libres - © Marc Cramer, Bocata - © Bocata Message from the board

As Acting Chairman of Tourisme Montréal’s Board of Thanks to the combined efforts of Tourisme Directors, I have the opportunity to share my thoughts Montréal, the Palais des congrès de Montréal and with you in this brief introductory message. our business partners, the business market had a successful year, with several conferences being First and foremost, the Board of Directors wishes to held in the city. Also, a record number of room acknowledge Yves Lalumière’s appointment last nights were sold in the last year. August to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Lalumière brings new energy and a new Finally, 2013 was the year when Tourisme Montréal management style to Tourisme Montréal that inspired took stock of the strategic directions it had adopted the team to stay the course. His focus on destination for the 2010-2013 period and decided which of them marketing is key to improving Montréal’s overall it will implement for 2014-2018. performance. The ultimate goal of this approach is to increase the The report of the Auditor General of Québec (AGQ), number of tourists by 5% annually, for a total of 5 mil- tabled on November 27, 2013, covered Tourisme lion room nights sold within 5 years. The strategy will Québec and regional tourism associations. It identified focus on five key areas: product development, a re- certain management shortcomings and governance juvenated organization, business tourism, marketing challenges for Tourisme Montréal and made a number Montréal through priority niches and, finally, of recommendations. hospitality.

The Board of Directors took note of the report’s rec- With the unfailing support of our partners, for which ommendations and has implemented a series of de- we are grateful, Tourisme Montréal can look to the cisions involving a variety of governance and control future with optimism. Thanks to the passion and measures, procedural audits and human resource dedication of our team, backed by the Board of management best practices. Also, the Board is now Directors whom I commend for their devotion and dealing with new suppliers for financial statement support, we are more determined than ever to create auditing, legal counsel and communications strategy. wealth for an industry that is key to Montréal’s The Board also took note of its president’s resignation economy: tourism. in November 2013.

As part of its core mission, our organization has stepped up its efforts to attract tourists, now an increasingly sought-after group. We have launched a Michel Archambault number of activities and campaigns to enhance the Acting Chairman, on behalf of the members destination’s visibility in the most promising markets, of Tourisme Montréal’s Board of Directors such as the United States, Ontario, France and the United Kingdom. Tourisme Montréal’s marketing strategy has continued to evolve, reflecting new consumer habits and the ubiquity of social networks, while still basing its approach on niche markets.

03 Message from the ceo

From many perspectives, 2013 was an important year In reading this report, you will realize that 2013 was a for Tourisme Montréal. Over the past twelve months, successful year for Tourisme Montréal and its industry our organization has changed in many ways. partners. A prime example of this is the #MTLMOMENTS campaign, which drew Montrealers and tourists to- New senior management, a significant shift in our gether as they shared authentic moments and unique communication strategy and a revised and amended experiences. Another fine example is the second edition governance—all these factors point to a healthy and of our Restaurant Week, TASTE MTL, which was once positive change for Tourisme Montréal. again a resounding success. In total, 129 restaurants and some 100,000 foodies participated in a 10-day During this pivotal year, the tourism sector regained long city-wide culinary frenzy. momentum and tourists flocked to the city in even greater numbers. In 2013, Montréal welcomed some With all of these promising initiatives, I am already 8.4 million tourists, who spent close to 2.5 billion impatiently looking ahead to 2014, when we will start dollars. The hotel occupancy rate increased by 2.15 implementing the four-year plan our management percentage points over the previous year, to reach team spent months developing. This ambitious plan, 68.25%. that will guide Tourisme Montréal through to 2018, will cover 2017: an important year for Montréal, when the In terms of business travel, a record number of close city will celebrate its 375th anniversary. to 334,000 hotel nights were sold; Tourisme Montréal is getting increasingly involved in the prom- As the main gateway to Québec, Montréal must fully ising sports tourism sector; and the cruise industry assume its leadership role. That is, in fact, one of the has the wind in its sails, thanks to the efforts of main goals of the strategic plan, which places Tourisme Montréal’s Cruise Committee to make the city a Montréal at the centre of an interconnected circle of more popular port of call. partners and collaborators, all of whom are essential to our city’s success. These successes prove that our strategies with respect to business and leisure markets are truly relevant. Isn’t it exciting to look ahead and realize that the best Rest assured that we will continue to work hard to is yet to come for our city? Right now we have a wide improve our business efficiency and ensure our actions range of promising projects on the drawing board, and have an even more positive impact. a lot of creative and passionate people eager to bring them to fruition. The positive economic outlook and When the Québec Auditor General’s report was expansion of the tourism sector point to prosperous tabled last fall, two points in particular stood out times for Montréal tourism, which alone accounts for for me. One of them was the unflagging support of over 36,000 jobs. Tourisme Montréal’s partners and members, whose efforts are crucial to improving our city’s interna- As you read this report, I hope you will take the time tional standing. The other point I was happy to note to look at Tourisme Montréal’s achievements in 2013, was that, during the crisis, our organization’s effec- which are indicative of the change our organization tiveness was never questioned. experienced. This year was a springboard for us, enabling us to go even further in 2014. Tourisme Montréal needed to strengthen its governance and management, and that is what we have I invite everyone who loves Montréal to become in- done. The industry support we have received shows volved in our city’s expanding development and just how relevant our campaigns and activities are, influence! how they generate wealth for Montréal and business opportunities for our approximately 800 members.

Yves Lalumière President and Chief Executive Officer Tourisme Montréal

04 ADministrators

Tourisme Montréal Board of Directors (as of March 27, 2014)

ACTING CHAIRMAN Mr. Raymond Larivée Mr. Michel Archambault President and CEO Associate Professor and Chairman, Palais des congrès de Montréal Board of Governors Transat Chair in Tourism Mrs. Deborah Legroulx Université du Québec à Montréal (ESG UQÀM) Regional General Manager, Passengers – Québec VICE PRESIDENT Air Canada Mr. Michel G. Giguère General Manager Mrs. Eve Paré Centre Sheraton Montréal President and CEO Hotel Association of Greater Montréal (AHGM) SECRETARY Mrs. Danielle Sauvage Mr. Richard Payette Cultural Manager General Manager Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

Mrs. Stéphanie Allard Mr. Claude Poisson Vice President, International Organizations President of Operations Montréal International Société des casinos du Québec

Mr. Dimitri Antonopoulos Mr. André Saucier, CPA, CGA Vice President, Marketing and Development Executive Director – Finance, Operations Hotels and Restaurants, Groupe Antonopoulos Palais des congrès de Montréal

Mrs. Christiane Beaulieu Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs Aéroports de Montréal Members of the Board of Mr. Jean-Paul de Lavison Directors’ subcommittees President and CEO (as of March 27, 2014) JPdL Audit committee Mr. Jacques-André Dupont Mr. André Saucier, CPA, CGA (President) Vice President, Marketing Mr. Richard Payette and Business Development Mrs. Danielle Sauvage L’Équipe Spectra Ethics and governance committee Mrs. Marie-Hélène Falcon Mrs. Eve Paré (President) General Manager and Arts Director Mrs. Stéphanie Allard Festival TransAmériques Mr. André Saucier, CPA, CGA

Mr. Carlos Ferreira Human resources committee Owner Mr. Michel G. Giguère (President) Ferreira Café Mr. Claude Poisson Mr. Jean-Paul de Lavison Mrs. Marie-France Lajoie President Events committee Zeste Incentive Mr. Michel G. Giguère Mrs. Danielle Sauvage Mr. Yves Lalumière President and CEO Tourisme Montréal

05 2013 Tourism industry performance and economic impacts

2013: Tourism regains momentum After a difficult year in 2012, Montréal tourism has recovered, as evidenced by the growth of different tourism indicators. Economic recovery, the efforts of Montréal’s tourism industry to grow the cruise market and a particularly robust year for business and convention tourism have all contributed to this renewed prosperity.

Out of a total of 26.3 million visitors to Montréal in 2013, there were about 8.4 million tourists*, or 1.0% more than in 2012. 8.4

Tourist : A person who travels to a destination outside his or her city, stays for at least one night but less than a year, and uses commercial or private accommodation.

Tourist spending for that year is estimated at Hotel occupancy on 2.5 billion.. the island of Montréal increased by 2.15 percentage. points in 2013,. to reach 68.25%.

The average hotel room price on the island of Montréal was $143.08 an increase of 3.56% compared to 2012.

06 2013 2012

Hotel occupancy rate (island of Montréal)

68.25% change 66.1 % 2.15%

Passengers at Montréal airports

14,095,272 change 13,809,820 2.1%

Inquiries at information counters (in thousands)

90.5 change 96.1 -5.8%

Visits to Tourisme Montréal’s main websites (in millions)

4,175 change 4,097 1.9%

Tourists origin and expenses in Montréal can be divided as follows

Origin of tourists visiting in 2012*

OVERSEAS 9.6% UNITED STATES 12.4% QUÉBEC 53.5% REST OF CANADA 24.5%

Tourist spending in 2012*, based on origin

OVERSEAS QUÉBEC 24,8% 25,8%

REST OF UNITED STATES CANADA 21,9% 27,5 %

*The most recent official data available is from 2012. 07 Montréal tourism: an economic driver

It is estimated that, in 2013, the Montréal tourism industry supported 36,000 direct and indirect jobs. in the province of Québec.

79% of room nights in commercial accommodation in Montréal were taken by tourists from outside Québec. 1

Direct and indirect impact for all of Québec of tourist spending in Montréal in 2013 2 (excluding the induced impact)

jobs Payroll ($) 36,000 1,300,000,000

1 Source: Cities 2012 2 Based on the Conference Board of Canada’s Tourism Economic Assessment Model (TEAM)

08 high satisfaction rate among tourists in 2013

Tourisme Montréal’s 2013 satisfaction survey, conducted among tourists who stayed at least two nights in the city, provided the following results: 3

Leisure tourism Business tourism In 2013, leisure tourists Also in 2013, business tourists gave Montréal gave Montréal a satisfaction rating a satisfaction rating of 8.5/10. of 8.2/10.

95% 92%

This means that 95% of tourists This means that 92% of tourists gave their leisure stay gave their business stay in Montréal a rating of in Montréal a rating of 7/10 or higher. 7/10 or higher.

3 Survey of the experience of Montréal tourists, 2013 edition, conducted in collaboration with Ipsos Research

09 Business Sales and Convention Services

Business Sales

Tourisme Montréal’s sales objective for 2013 was The rapidly expanding sports market grew by 50% 280,000 room nights. The sales team tackled that compared with last year, with a total of 37,042 room challenge with enthusiasm: they devised strategies nights sold. In 2013, Montréal hosted 17 national sport- for the convention and meetings market that enabled ing events and one international competition, prom- them to exceed their goal and that proved their meth- ising results for the coming years. As the organization ods to be effective. in charge of soliciting and hosting national and international sporting events in the city, Tourisme Montréal Tourisme Montréal’s sales team members were sup- is working with several partners on this issue, including ported by a content-oriented communications cam- the City of Montréal, the Ministère de l’Éducation, du paign that focussed on ensuring the maximum return Loisir et du Sport, Tourisme Québec and the Ministère on budget dollars. In conjunction with the business des Affaires municipales et de l’Occupation du territoire campaign team, the sales team confirmed a record (MAMROT), to position Montréal as a premier host city number of 334,000 room nights for the coming years. for sports competitions.

We are proud to announce that this figure, achieved through collaboration with our local partners, rep- resents an increase of 9.1% compared with the previous year. These sales represent over $52 million in hotel revenue, not counting business tourist spending once they reach the destination. Despite the fact that more and more destinations are a record number of concentrating on and investing in the competitive business market, Montréal is doing well, and Tourisme 334,000 room nights Montréal is working hard to enhance the city’s reputation among convention organizers.

9,1% + m$52 increase compared over $52 million with the previous year in hotel revenue*

* not counting business tourist spending once they reach the destination. Michel Bourdon Vice President, Sales and Convention Services

10 aul P S t- © H ôtel

Achievements and results

The sales team exceeded its objective of 280,000 room nights, reaching a total of 333,889 confirmed room nights for 2013 and the coming years, broken down as follows:

room nights at the business opportunity 505,042 stage as of December 31, 2013

92,628 121,440 room nights confirmed for the room nights room nights 8,636 multi-hotel corporate segment confirmed for the confirmed for the Canadian market U.S. market room nights confirmed for the small 41,339 meetings market (100 to 199 room nights)

room nights confirmed for the express 30,672 meetings market (1 to 99 room nights) 82,779 37,042 room nights room nights confirmed for the confirmed for the international market sports market 134 site visits

MONTRÉAL #1 21 sales missions Montréal takes the top spot in North America for hosting the most international association meetings, according to the 2013 ranking from the events International Congress and Convention 13 Association (ICCA). The city ranks first ahead of major American and Canadian urban centres such educational tours (executive summits as New York, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, and familiarization tours) San Diego, Chicago, Vancouver and Toronto. 9

11 Main conventions sold in 2013

/ International Association of Public Transport / ACPA College Student Educators International

/ Geological Society of America / American Counseling Association

/ College of Family Physicians of Canada / Neural Information Processing Systems Foundation

/ Intelligent Transportation Society of America / Electric Drive Transportation Association

/ International Continence Society / American Geophysical Union

Sales activity in 2013

In addition to ensuring Montréal’s success in the business market, sales activities enable Tourisme Montréal to reach a target audience that is carefully selected for its potential to the destination.

These popular partner events are organized with the business campaign team. Partners have an opportunity to spend some time with clients and build strong relationships in a creative and friendly environment that is repre- sentative of Montréal’s spirit.

International market / London: Cirque du Soleil special event / Mission in Europe: Wellness event(s) à la Montréal (associative); in London, Paris and Amsterdam (incentive and associative); / Frankfurt: IMEX, The Worldwide exhibition for Incentive Travel, Meetings and Events, Evening à / Barcelona: EIBTM, the Global Meetings & Events la Montréal (corporate, associative, incentive); Exhibition, Evening à la Montréal (U.S. associative and European incentive); / Montréal: Montréal Forum event (for international organizations based in Montréal); / Paris: Montréal Networking Forum event (international associations).

12 U.S. market / Orlando: Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), Wellness event à la Montréal (associative) and sponsorship of a lunch for all delegates;

/ Orlando: Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), Breakfast in Bed à la Montréal served in clients’ rooms (associative);

/ Washington: Wellness event à la Montréal;

/ Atlanta: American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Wellness event à la Montréal (associative), Breakfast in Bed à la Montréal served in clients’ rooms;

/ Las Vegas: IMEX America, Breakfast in Bed à la Montréal served in clients’ rooms (corporative and associative);

/ New York and Philadelphia: Wellness event à la Montréal;

/ Washington: special Fleetwood Mac event;

/ Chicago: Wellness event à la Montréal (associative);

/ Chicago: AIBTM America, Breakfast in Bed à la Montréal served in clients’ rooms (corporative and associative);

/ Chicago: special Rod Stewart event;

/ Las Vegas: Meeting Professionals International — World Education Congress (MPI/WEC), Breakfast in Bed à la Montréal served in clients’ rooms. canadian market / Toronto: Wellness event à la Montréal and sales mission (corporative and associative);

/ Ottawa: Wellness event à la Montréal and sales mission (associative);

/ Winnipeg: Wellness event à la Montréal (associative);

/ Vancouver: Wellness event à la Montréal (associative). all markets / Advisory Board.

13 Marketing campaign 2013 – Business market

To enhance Montréal’s reputation and achieve maximum impact with corporative and associative convention planners, Tourisme Montréal has mounted a marketing campaign on specialized media platforms, both traditional and Web-based. Playing to the city’s strengths, the campaign’s main objective is to ensure Montréal remains a leading destination in an extremely competitive environment.

Also, in an effort to boost customer engagement, the organization has launched several major content creation initiatives, which include designing a business blog and implementing new strategies on social media. Launched in April 2013, the blog is a runaway success, with an increase in qualified traffic (more than 30,000 visits) as of December 31, 2013.

Strategies implemented / Web banners

/ Print advertising, editorial content, promotional offers and advertorials in four major special-in- terest magazines (Meetings and Conventions; MPI; Successful Meetings; Ignite)

/ Promotional activities and media relations

/ Content strategies: social media and blog

A few results / 32,694 visits on the blog from April 1 (launch date) to December 31, 2013;

/ 34,805 visitors to the “Meetings” section of Tourisme Montréal’s website—an increase of over 3.5% compared to 2012;

/ The number of Twitter followers has increased by more than 55% in less than a year (2,834 in December 2013 compared to 1,827 in May 2013).

Media relations / 107 requests for proposals in 2013 compared to 47 in 2012 (from January to September);

/ 20 press releases issued;

/ 23 articles published.

AMAziNg OFF-siTe veNues

Phi centre rio tinto alcan PlanetariUm MONTRéAL Located in a historic 1861 building in the heart of The boldly designed Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium Old Montréal and opened in 2012, PHI is a techno- opened its doors in spring 2013 and features a logically advanced hub for arts and creativity fea- rooftop garden, two theatres offering immersive 1 turing a performance venue, recording and editing 4 experiences, and interactive exhibition space. The 1 facilities, cinema screening rooms and exhibition new planetarium is located on the grounds of Space venues. Highly adaptable spaces on four floors can for Life, which also includes the Biodôme, the Insec- be easily transformed for any activity. tarium and the 180-acre Botanical Garden. Notable: Rooms are soundproofed for an Notable: Space for Life is the largest concentra- Unique Venues optimal acoustic experience; rooftop terrace tion of natural science museums in Canada. overlooks Old Montréal. + Group Experiences montréal SymPhony concert hall arSenal The Montréal Symphony Orchestra found a home in

A former shipbuilding complex established in this landmark Place des Arts complex building. The k, PHI C ENTRE O 1846 along the Lachine Canal, Arsenal is now a new 2,100-seat concert hall was built for comfort and RE flexible events venue and an exhibition space to ensure an intimate acoustic relationship between F EORGE

5 G 2 for contemporary art. performers and audience members. Notable: This industrial venue offers about Notable: In May 2014, the Orchestra will inau-

50,000 sq.ft. of rentable space. gurate the Grand Orgue Pierre Béique, one of the 4 ANIEL C HOINI è , D VIE

world’s largest mechanical-action organs. LA

the marinerS’ hoUSe POUR Pointe-à-Callière is on a mission to create the St-JameS theatre SPACE Montréal Archaeology and History Complex – a In a city of grand public spaces, the St-James 3 E collection of nine historically significant struc- Theatre is a dazzling experience. A former bank 3 tures in Old Montréal. Opened in March 2013 as headquarters, the century-old building features the complex’s fifth building, The Mariners’ House 6 massive exterior Romanesque columns, a soaring ERGERON features exhibition rooms, an Archaeo-Adventure bank hall with stained glass ceilings, a mezzanine B AROLINE A RT RSENAL - C ONTEMPORARY A workshop for young people, and multi-purpose and two walk-in vaults. Nearly 10,000 sq.ft. of C meeting and event spaces for gatherings of 25 to rental space is available, with additional function JAzz up yOuR 225 guests. space coming online as the nine-storey building’s 2 Notable: 360° Montréal Space, a rooftop glass upper floors are renovated. NexT eveNT! pavilion with adjoining terrace, boasts views of the Notable: The White Star Line’s basement office St. Lawrence River and Old Port, Old Montréal and once sold tickets for the Titanic. 6 DiscOveR The the downtown skyline. sOciAbLe ciTy new city gaS 5 New City Gas club and music venue showcases FAbuLOus the talents of home-grown and international DJs. Located in Griffintown, this massive warehouse AS FOOD + bev 7 venue features a huge dance floor, elevated VIP EW C ITY G

sections and bar areas. N Notable: The New City Gas complex was built around 1860 during the city’s industrialization phase. 7 GENCY UEL A POLLO A N. R

12 MONTRÉAL | meetings.tourisme-montreal.org meetings.tourisme-montreal.org | MONTRÉAL 13

14 Convention Services

Providing quality services to convention organizers is not only key to a successful event, it is also the best way to ensure large meetings return to Montréal year after year. Tourisme Montréal continues to receive excellent customer satisfaction ratings. In 2013, convention and event planners who have used our services gave us a score of 10/10.

In 2013, the Convention Services team decided to rely even more on social media. As a result, platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are now being used to communicate directly with delegates prior to the event and to welcome attendees. A comprehensive document was distributed to planners, enabling them to better exploit social platforms in order to boost participation at their events and help build the city’s reputation as an ideal business tourism destination.

Mindful of the need to encourage delegates to stay longer (the average stay currently lasts from 3 to 4.5 nights, depending on their origin1), the Convention Services team and the Department of Communications have devised a number of promotional tools, designed to help business travellers find relevant tourist and cultural information, and suggest some must-do activities to enrich their experience of the city.

Finally, the development and growth of the sports market brought several new events to Montréal in 2013. A new managerial position was created in 2012, in order to assist sports competition organizers.

1 Numbers represent events for which Tourisme Montréal managed the accommodation service.

In 2013, convention and event planners who have used our services gave us a score of 10/10 illes L auzon © G illes

15 Achievements Social Responsibility: Conventions leave a positive legacy to the and results Montréal community

/ Achieving a 27% increase in the anticipated number Associations and their representatives are increasingly of delegates; concerned with leaving a positive impression during their stay, and this concern is having an impact on business / Coordinating and hosting over 90 site visits; tourism. Local involvement can take many forms; the Tourisme Montréal team works with events that want to / Participating in 10 promotional trips prior to hosting be involved in some way in the community. a convention in Montréal; / For the World Parkinson Congress, Tourisme / Investing $200,000 in business tools designed to Montréal recruited a nurse to train people in the increase delegate participation; tourism industry to help a person with Parkinson’s disease. The arrival of some 3,000 Parkinson’s / Responding to more than 1,300 service requests patients in Montréal was an excellent reason for made by meeting planners; the professionals interacting with them to learn how to provide assistance, whether in transpor- / Participating in 4 local committees that support the tation, hotels or restaurants. organization of major conventions; / For delegates at the American sorority Alpha / Producing 10 custom-made microsites for each set Kappa Alpha Convention, Tourisme Montréal of convention delegates; helped set up a social responsibility program involving several organizations such as the Côte- / Distributing over 80,000 brochures. des-Neiges Community Centre, the YWCA, AMCAL Family Services and Le Chaînon, a charity store Welcoming Delegates that provides funding for a women’s shelter. / Creating virtual discount for delegates; / The American College of Veterinary Pathologists / Providing a guide at the airport to welcome groups (ACVP) delegates organized a social responsibility of 1,000 delegates and more; volunteer activity at Le Chaînon charity store: participants spent three hours helping sort the / Using social media to promote delegate partici- store’s donated goods. pation and offer a warm welcome.

List of Conventions 2013 Groups in 2013 with more than 2,500 room nights Organization Congress / Meeting TELUS TELUS 2013 National sales Conference International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation 2013 Annual Meeting American Oil Chemists Society 104th AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo (2013) American Industrial Hygiene Association AIHA Annual Meeting 2013 International Commission for Acoustics International Congress on Acoustics McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited 2013 Joint Meeting : Owner Operators Meeting & Restaurant Manager’s Meeting International League Against Epilepsy 30th International Epilepsy Congress 2013 ASTM International ASTM Committee D02 Meeting Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 2013 Leadership Conference American Statistical Associations 2013 JSM – ASA’s Midwest Regions (Region 2) International Paralympic Committee Swimming World Championships 2013 The Fertilizer Institute TFI World Meeting World Parkinson coalition 3rd World Parkinson Congress (2013) Canadian Cardiovascular Society Vascular 2013 Minerals, Metals, and Marterials Society – TMS MS&T’13 (Materials Scient & Technology 2013 Conference & Exhibition) 16 2014 priorities for this team The collaboration between various organizations of the meeting planning sector is an indisputable asset to the destination. In 2014, the sales team and Convention Services will work to maintain and strengthen the partnerships that set us apart from our competitors.

A few priorities:

Sales / Reach the goal of 315,000 room nights sold;

/ Revitalize the Convention Incentive Program;

/ Pursue the objective of integrating social media in the sales team’s day-to-day activities;

/ Strengthen Tourisme Montréal’s position as the leading promoter of the “Montréal” destination for sports and international markets.

Convention Services / Surpass our competitors in terms of the quality of services provided to delegates;

/ Welcome delegates in a customized, effective and creative manner;

/ Make even greater use of social media to increase delegate participation. oulin tephane P © S tephane 17 Communications, Marketing, Media, Distribution Networks and Partnerships

In 2013, Tourisme Montréal continued to integrate In recent years, Montréal has earned an enviable position social media into its activities by launching the among major culinary destinations. Buoyed up by the #MTLMOMENTS campaign and making social networks success of the first edition of AST TE MTL, Tourisme key to its marketing initiatives. This major strategic Montréal invested heavily in gastronomy in 2013 to in- shift resulted in a 14% increase in traffic on Tourisme crease Montréal’s visibility. When the TASTE MTL cam- Montréal’s digital platforms in 2013. paign was repeated, it included a major advertising blitz in North America and hosting more than 20 food jour- This strategy was formulated in 2012 and further im- nalists. Overall, this has helped increase visits specifi- plemented in 2013 by means of: cally related to the gastronomy niche by over 16%.

/ creating a best practices handbook to train em- It should also be mentioned that several major commu- ployees and encouraging them to use social media nication campaigns were launched for the following in their day-to-day activities; niches: festivals and events, cutting-edge, family, LGBT and cruises. We acknowledge the important collabora- / creating a best practices handbook to train tive work done by the Cruise Committee’s eigth major members and partners and encouraging them partners, along with Tourisme Québec, who jointly invest to promote the Montréal brand on their own $400,000 per year to: platforms; / improve the Montréal passenger experience; / creating a best practices handbook on social media; / target new cruise lines;

/ launching the #MTLMOMENTS campaign that / increase the total number of cruise passengers empowered tourists, Montrealers, members and in Montréal; influencers to become ambassadors. / promote pre- and post-cruise stays in the city.

Emmanuelle Legault Vice President, Marketing 18 ascal V icari © P

some results Awards and Honours

Boomerang Awards 2013 / The #MTLMOMENTS 2013 campaign received the Grand Prize in the Social Media Strategy category at the Boomerang Awards, for its innovative and creative use of social media and for the quality of interactions it generated to benefit the brand.

/ Tourisme Montréal also won in the Integrated social media Campaign category, which rewards on- and offline strategies supported by media buying.

Prix Média Awards 2013 (for a 2012 campaign) / The Taste of Montréal campaign was crowned the 143,012 39,248 Best Media Concept of the Year, in addition to followers followers receiving awards in the Best Use of Media Mix over (increase of over @Montreal (English) $250,000 and Best Use of Magazines. 40,200 followers (increase of 44% vs. 2012) vs. 2012) / The campaign invited Montrealers to share the city with their out-of-town friends via a dedicated 296,464 20,404 Facebook application. interactions followers (likes, comments @Monmontréal and shares) (french) (increase of 35% vs. 2012) 17,600,136 Potential reach (users)

1,938,790 views

19 #MTLMOMENTS campaign

During this entirely social media-based campaign, Tourisme Montréal invited tourists and Montrealers to share unique moments on various digital platforms.

Tactics / Purchased sponsored publications on several social networks;

/ Distributed cardboard #MTLMOMENTS picture frames;

/ Set up and circulated six #MTLMOMENTS photo booths at strategic locations in Montréal, based on popular events;

/ Invited influential bloggers;

/ Redesigned the blog and created a mobile version.

Some results / over 30,000 shares on social platforms;

/ hashtag used over 12,000 times on Twitter;

/ 46,000 new followers and over 50,000 shares;

/ Total of 1,032,262 YouTube views;

/ 22% more blog traffic.

20 Family Niche

To position Montréal as a must-visit family destination in the Québec and Ontario markets, Tourisme Montréal created a number of themed itineraries to convince families that the city is a prime vacation destination boasting a wealth of attractions and must-see events.

Tactics / Online media: banners placed on the follow ing sites: Coup de pouce (Québec), Canadian Living (Ontario edition) and Transcontinental’s network;

/ Traditional media: 10 editorials published in the Visit Montréal section of Coup de Pouce and Canadian Living websites;

/ Two-page insert in July’s Canadian Living (national edition); four editorial pages and three advertising pages in Coup de Pouce and Canadian Living (Ontario) magazine.

Some results / 81,500 hits on the Tourisme Montréal website by family niche-specific visitors, an increase of 58% compared with 2012;

/ 63,400 views of family videos on YouTube;

/ 11,874 contest participants;

/ 69% of users asked to receive the Tourisme Montréal newsletter;

/ Hosted 14 journalists on niche-themed group tours; also hosted a U.S. TV program on family tourism that aired on PBS. © Martin G ros 21 Gastronomy Niche Advertising campaign A massive advertising campaign was launched in the Ontario and U.S. markets that showcased the variety of Montréal’s foodie scene by focussing on culinary festivals and events such as TASTE MTL, Omnivore, Montréal en Lumière, guided food tours, etc.

Tactics Some results / 4 editorial pages and 2 advertising pages in Bon / Blog: 14,000 visits, including the mobile version Appétit magazine; and the TASTE MTL site (an increase of 16% compared with 2012); / Web banners on Bon Appétit, Urbanspoon and Now Toronto sites; / 3,495 contest participants;

/ 7 blogvertorials on the Bon Appétit site and 3 on / Hosted 20 journalists on niche-themed the Now Toronto site. group tours.

#TASTE MTL EVENT This Québec-based advertising campaign promoted TASTE MTL’s 10 days of foodie heaven, that shone a spotlight on the top-notch quality of Montréal restaurants and the talented chefs who man their stoves.

Tactics Some results / Un Souper presque parfait TV show that delivered / 4,912 tweets; added value through its network via social media, website, contest, etc.; / 2,159 Instagram photos;

/ radio contest and social media; / 3 videos that generated 226,363 views;

/ 4-page advertising insert in La Presse and / 4 117 confirmed attendees on the event’s La Presse+; Facebook page;

/ Microsite for the event with partner content; / 51 Facebook posts that generated 21,337 actions: likes, comments and shares; / Media relations campaign. / 21 blog posts that generated 19,243 page views;

/ 7 contests that generated 12,041 TASTE MTL website visits.

22 Festivals and Events Niche

This campaign was aimed at Ontario, Boston and New York residents. It positioned the city as a prime festival hotspot by highlighting the destination’s eclectic festivals and major events.

Tactics Some results / Two 4-page advertising inserts in The New Yorker / 1,007,480 views of the videos; magazine; / Blog (including mobile version): 380,500 visits / Web banners on The New Yorker site and Condé (an increase of 23% compared with 2012); Nast’s network; / 8,472 contest participants. / Two e-mail blasts sent to 30,000 The New Yorker

readers; Special Advertising Section A festive summer in / Creation of 8 promotional videos and 20 Moments Montréal videos. By RoByn FAdden

If a summer in Montréal were condensed into a single Robyn Fadden lives, writes, and makes mu- day, it would be one of those ideal, remember-forever sic in Montréal. She is a primary contribu- days, charmed with luck, beauty, and ease. A steady tor to Tourisme Montréal’s blog, a former stream of festivals in the city’s central Quartier des arts & culture editor of a weekly paper, and Spectacles and other venues turns every hour into an- a freelance writer for local and interna- other discovery in the realms of music, art, and culture. tional publications and organizations. She Chalk it up to the warmth after a long winter—come walks and bikes through some part of the June, Montréalers are eager to open their windows and city every day of the year, and usually sees minds to let the sunshine and electric energy in. something she’s never seen before.

LGBT Niche

To position Montréal as an open-minded, creative and fun-filled destination for 20- to 32-year old members of the LGBT market in New York, Ontario and Québec, Tourisme Montréal launched a major campaign entitled Do Your Thing, with LGBT celebrities Johnny Weir, DeAnne Smith and Carmen Carrera.

Tactics Some results / Created 8 Do Your Thing videos and posted them / 117,873 views on YouTube of Do Your Thing on YouTube and Queer MTL social platforms; videos;

/ p artnered with LogoTV.com to shoot a webseries / 360 new followers of the Queer MTL YouTube to air in April-May 2014; channel due to this campaign.

/ Hosted 12 journalists on niche-themed group tours.

23 Cutting-edge Niche

The goal of this operation was to project an authentic image solely through social media to a specific niche within the cutting-edge musical scene. Through partnerships with key players, quality content was created and delivered, thereby engaging with the existing community and attracting new followers.

Tactics / Hosted two bloggers for two weeks during summer 2013;

/ Contest to win Osheaga tickets;

/ Facebook page and Twitter account engaged in cutting-edge mode.

some results / 8,987 visits to the contest section of the Facebook page and 3,209 shares;

/ 6,790 new Facebook followers;

/ 6,833 contest participants.

24 Cruise Niche

In order to grow this niche, concrete strategies were developed to attract cruise ships to Montréal and promote pre- and post-cruise stays in the city.

Montréal Cruise Committee members Supported by Tourisme Québec, the Montréal Cruise Committee comprises the Montréal Port Authority and Tourisme Montréal, as well as six other local associations and organisations: Aéroports de Montréal (Montréal airports), the Old Port of Montréal Corporation, the Montréal Casino, the Old Montréal Business Development Corporation, the Hotel Association of Greater Montréal and the City of Montréal.

Tactics Some results / Created a microsite for the cruise niche; / Advertising campaign: / 9,672 clicks to the cruise microsite gener- / Advertising campaign aimed at consumers and ated by the various media buys; travel agents; / 842,816 people reached ; / Click-through rate of 0.49%, above the target / o rganized a joint media buying venture with the of 0.33%. nine ports of call of the Saint Lawrence Cruise Association in specialized industry media; / 2013 cruise microsite (online end of April 2013): / 12,320 visits; / sales trips and representation missions to cruise / 70% of traffic generated by the advertising lines and tour operators; campaign; / Average time spent on the site in 2013: / p lanned a marketing campaign, public relations 3:27 minutes; and social media activities, as well as COOP agree- / Average number of pages visited: 2.43. ments with major agency networks and Holland America; / Signed a COOP agreement with the Encore network to promote pre- and post-cruise stays; / Developed many marketing tools: brochures, itineraries, pre-and post-cruise stay offers; / Welcomed over 55,000 passengers and 14,000 crew members. / Improved the passenger experience: refresh cruise terminal décor, training, tourist information partnerships with Old Montréal Business Development Corporation and implement a Passenger Rewards Program in Old Montréal shops and boutiques.

More than just a starting point for cruises

With an irresistible mix of European chic, cutting- edge culture and a cool urban vibe, Montréal is a world-class cruise destination. And our port is right at the heart of the city and only 20 minutes from the airport. No cruise along the Saint-Lawrence River would be complete without a stop over in Montréal. Easy to access, easy to love.

cruisesalamontreal.com Cruises

Full page Bleed 8,875 in X 11,375 in C File number 1714 Size Trim 8,625 in X 11,125 in M Client Tourisme Montréal

CAUTION Trapping is to be done by the Y Comments Publication Cruise Industry News printer according to its own specifications. K Project Advertising - Cruise Campaign www.creation-samarkand.com Release date May 2013 1 514 286-1004 ext. 25

25 Sweet Deal Package

To encourage consumers already interested in a short urban getaway, Tourisme Montréal has continued to promote its Sweet Deal Package, which offers either the second or third night at half price, depending on the season.

Tactics Some results / Media buy ad banners on Google and Trip Advisor; / 8% increase in page views of the Sweet Deal Package; / purchased the sponsored “Montréal” Trip Advisor page; / S ponsored Trip Advisor page generated close to 20,000 visits with a success rate of 6.21%; / purchased keywords on SEM (paid search results); / 15% increase in organic visits to targeted sections of Tourisme Montréal’s website. / invested in SEO (organic search results). raujo A ssis U rrutia A raujo arcia

26 © A driana G Media and Leisure Market

In 2013, the goal of Tourisme Montréal’s leisure and media strategies was to:

/ Prioritize pre and post-conference tours (Rendez- vous Canada, Go Média and Travel Bloggers Exchange (TBEX));

/ Prioritize the use of social media when communi- cating with journalists and bloggers;

/ Implement improved procedures for assessing the ROI before launching an initiative or committing to a project (media visits; tours; trade shows; campaigns, etc.).

Tourisme Montréal has continued to work closely with its major partners, Tourisme Québec and the Canadian Tourism Commission, for all its media relations as well as leisure and social media initiatives.

MEDIA— Achievements / Sending more than 100 newsletters with niche-oriented content out in several languages: English, French, Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, etc.;

/ In June, hosting CTV’s Canada AM show to shoot two programs on festivals and gastronomy;

/ Holding three media events on the priority markets of Toronto, New York and Paris: 101 writer-journalists attended;

/ Participation in the MESA Sao Paulo culinary event;

/ Press review: over 1,246 articles on Montréal (and, specifically, on initiatives by Tourisme Montréal and its partners) were found in the international and Québec press.

Outside Montréal: in Montréal: / p articipation in over 20 specialized conferences, / 241 individual press visits; fairs, trade shows and media events; / Media conferences: Travel Bloggers Exchange / 66 tours conducted jointly with Tourisme Montréal’s (TBEX), Family Travel Writers Conference, PR agencies, its members and partners, for a total GoMedia Canada, Canada Media Marketplace, of 166 media representatives; Terroir, etc. / Leisure market conferences: Cruise 3Sixty, / Meetings with 666 media representatives. Rendez-Vous Canada, Rendez-Vous Québec (in Paris), Discover Québec Marketplace, GoMedia Brazil, etc.

/ Meetings with approximately 688 writers.

DISTRIBUTION NETWORK— Achievements / New brochures printed in Mandarin, Japanese and Korean;

/ A new certified Weibo account (China);

/ Familiarization tours set up for inbound agencies specializing in school groups, religious heritage and Chinese markets;

/ Updated manual for the school groups market, listing Montréal’s different offerings;

/ Webinar presentations to niche travel agents operating in the cruise, luxury, LGBT and school groups markets, as well as a Christmas-themed presentation; oulin / Visits to clients in Toronto and New York. téphane P © S téphane

LEISURE MARKET ACTIVITY IN 2013

Outside Montréal: in Montréal: / p articipation in 19 specialized conferences and / Managed and organized 69 site visits; trade fairs; / Met with 588 buyers. / Meetings with over 1,541 buyers (tour operators, wholesalers and inbound agencies) and 180 tourism writers. raujo A ssis U rrutia A raujo arcia 28 © A driana G © Carte blanche © Carte

In 2013, Tourisme Montréal continued to focus on new partnerships, which provided its some 800 members with new marketing opportunities and enabled the organization to put on events with undeniable impact and scope.

This was definitely the case for the AST TE MTL event, which took place from November 1 to 11, 2013. This second edition certainly reached its goal of achieving record attendance in the some 130 participating restaurants. After only 2 years, TASTE MTL has already established itself as one of North America’s top 15 food festivals, according to Fodor’s Travel and has received exceptional media coverage.

15 North America’s top 15 food festivals, according to Fodor’s Travel

29 Achievements / Training: / 12 information workshops (Membership 101): 99 participating businesses (124 people); / 5 social media training sessions per membership category; / Joint training sessions on tourist attractions, Sweet Deal Package with the Société des Attractions Touristiques Visitors receive a discounted du Québec and Festivals et Événements night’s stay in selected hotels, Québec (SATQ-FEQ). rewards and exclusive discounts. / 12 monthly newsletters listing Tourisme Montréal’s achievements;

/ Conference on Sales and Convention Services operations, and networking workshop;

/ Tourism Outlook Conference for 2014, with the 30 10,695 hotels participated packages Conference Board of Canada; in 2013 sold

/ 2 nd edition of TASTE MTL: invited Montréalers and tourists to discover Montréal’s rich and diverse culinary offering, from November 1 to 11, 2013. / Fixed-price table d’hôte menu: $19, $29 or $39, in 130 participating restaurants; / Visibility for restaurants through: microsite, contest, local and international media, social media. 21,861 M$5.5 room $5.5 million nights in revenue for hotel owners

A survey of participating restaurants showed:

/ 25% increase in diners at their establishment, / 96% rated the experience as either positive or compared to the first edition of AST TE MTL; very positive

events / Joint event entitled Gueuleton touristique – 13 / 5 à 7 event organized jointly with the Palais des Tourism Trends for 2013, with UQAM’s Chair in congrès (200 attendees); Tourism (114 attendees); / l aunch of the tourism season (approximately 250 / 27th Grands Prix du tourisme québécois Gala visitors and 58 exhibitors); (229 attendees); / golf tournament organized jointly with the Palais / Members’ Holiday Reception 2013 des congrès (90 participants); (525 attendees); / annual General Meeting 2013 (155 attendees).

Results / 93.1% member retention rate;

/ 86 new memberships: / 7 of these new memberships are suppliers who became members through a clause added to the call to tender, requiring suppliers to be members of the organization.

30 2014 Priorities for this Team In 2014, after the strategic directions for 2014-2018 were tabled, Tourisme Montréal’s marketing team set its sights on becoming the undisputed expert in the eight target niche markets. This goal confirms the rele- vance of Tourisme Montréal’s other recently implemented strategies, namely its niche strategy and the technological shift initiated several years ago.

The marketing team will also focus on creating more non-traditional partnerships with leading Québec companies and creating added value for its members and partners that is consistent with Tourisme Montréal’s strategic priorities.

A few priorities: / Develop dashboard analysis tools to improve track- ing of direction-related outcomes and make information more widely available;

/ Implement comprehensive strategies focussed on three themed packages associated with the afore- mentioned eight priority sectors including: advertising strategy; welcome strategy; outreach strategy; family passes, and so on;

/ Lay the groundwork for a relational strategy to increase contact opportunities with our targets (tourists, business market, members, etc.);

/ Increase Montréal’s outreach to the Toronto and France markets;

/ Reach out to tourists by redesigning the tourist information bureau;

/ Initiate the work towards a new website; ask brand agencies for tenders. © Martine Doyon 31 Public Relations, Research and Product Development

The conclusions of the report, tabled last fall by the During the year, the organization conducted a number Auditor General of Québec (AGQ), required the public of studies to determine its position on various issues. relations team to address the media several times in Among other actions, Tourisme Montréal tabled a brief an effort to restore the organization’s reputation. At at the city’s Public Consultation Bureau (Office de the same time, it also drew attention to the adoption consultation publique de Montréal, or OCPM) on of numerous sound management practices, and noted Montréal’s Development Plan. As a result, the OCPM Tourisme Montréal’s strong performance, which has report recommended that the Development Plan’s never been called into question. subsequent version should identify tourism as a factor in the city’s development and a leading contributor to In the past year, cultural tourism has experienced the vitality of the downtown core. We are proud to dynamic growth. After four years of successful col- have spearheaded this initiative, and pleased to receive laboration, Montréal’s cultural development partners, this acknowledgement of the tourism industry’s i.e., the City of Montréal and the Ministère de la Culture importance. et des Communications (Ministry of Culture and Communications or MCC), have renewed their agree- Finally, with support from Tourisme Québec, the second ment with Tourisme Montréal. In 2010-2013, the phase of the Montréal tourism industry’s Green Plan Development Plan was in a sowing phase that focussed was launched. The new version of the Plan goes beyond on laying the groundwork. Now, the updated Plan must environmental issues by addressing the social, cultural generate growth and lead to a harvesting phase that and economic aspects of sustainable tourism. The will increase the economic and social benefits of cul- priority action areas identified are the hotel, restau- tural tourism. As such, the implementation of the new rant, festival and convention sectors. Plan for the 2014-2018 period will focus on concrete achievements and producing results.

Also in 2013, Tourisme Montréal changed its Event Assistance Program categories, resulting in better application processing and expanded eligibility criteria, to better meet event organizers’ needs.

On the research side of things, a large survey was conducted of some 2,600 tourists to Montréal and included leisure clientele as well as business travelers. The survey questioned tourists about their impressions of the destination, and the data thus collected helped to create a databank of information on tourist satisfaction and behaviour during their stay in Montréal. This bank is an important tool that will allow Tourism Montréal to identify the city’s strengths as well as its shortcomings in how it welcomes tourists.

Achievements and results 2013 Research Public Relations and / Surveyed leisure and business tourists to Government Relations determine their satisfaction with their stay and / Managed communication with (primarily local) their perceptions of the destination; media on corporate issues; / Responded to close to 550 requests from / Conducted a biennial satisfaction survey of journalists and influencers (bloggers). Tourisme Montréal members; / Assisted senior management with writing speech- / Produced and updated research on Montréal’s es, messages from the President, presentations, priority niches; etc., as well as strategic consulting;

/ Conducted research on the business segments / Wrote and distributed close to 40 press releases identified as priorities for Montréal; on the organization’s initiatives and campaigns, including the TASTE MTL event; / Conducted ad hoc studies, including a survey of cruise passengers to determine their reservation / Supported the Sales and Convention Services and travel habits. Department’s efforts to boost the organization’s profile in the business and sports tourism Developing the Tourism Offering sectors; / Supported 4 projects by the three partners to the regional tourism partnership agreement (EPRT) / Met and strengthened ties with government part- for the Montréal tourism region in 2013, repre- ners: City of Montréal, CRÉ de Montréal, Tourisme senting funding worth $112,000 and an anticipated Québec, Canada Economic Development, investment of $391,450; Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l’Occupation du territoire (MAMROT), etc.; / Met with close to 20 promoters of Montréal tourism projects at different stages in their business plans, / Continued to be involved with numerous local, to share expertise and forge partnerships; provincial and national associations (chambers of commerce, business and development corporations, TIAC, AQIT, ATR associées du Québec, etc.).

33 Cultural Tourism / Pursued its partnership with the City of Montréal / Updated Montréal’s cultural tourism Development and the MCC as part of a joint policy protocol Plan 2014-2017, due for release in spring of 2014; promoting active partnerships between Montréal’s cultural communities and tourism sector / In collaboration with Ulysses Travel Guides, players; launched the Guide to Creative Montréal;

/ Launched a map of public art.

Event Assistance Program In 2013, Tourisme Montréal managed a major Event Assistance Program that supported close to fifty events, to the tune of over $2.8 million. Given that the primary objective of the program is to increase Montréal’s revenue from tourism, Tourisme Montréal provides financial assistance to festivals and events that show evidence of strong tourism performance.

In 2013, in order to better meet event organizers’ various needs, Tourisme Montréal changed its program eligibility categories to include: events with tourism potential, events in full tourism growth mode and events with declining tourism potential. Tourisme Montréal will use these different categories as a way to encourage and stimulate individual events, but also to provide the necessary financial and marketing support.

The overhaul also included implementation of Performind software—also used by Tourisme Québec and Loto- Québec—to better assess the submitted applications.

Green Tourism Supported by the Montréal tourism industry’s Green / Distribute information on sustainable tourism Committee and many partners, a sustainable tourism trends and practices through various channels; consultant has been implementing the Montréal tourism industry’s Green Plan, thanks to a grant from / Support Montréal restaurants that serve local and Tourisme Québec. responsibly sourced food.

/ Position Montréal as Canada’s number one des- In 2013, a number of major projects in the greening tination for holding environmentally responsible process came to fruition, one of which was the release conventions; of Tourisme Montréal’s environmentally responsible restaurant guide and the launch of the Green Meetings / Assist Tourisme Montréal members as they im- microsite and of Club Tribu, for Montréal festivals. plement sustainable development initiatives;

Internal Green Shift Tourisme Montréal is working to integrate sustainable development practices into the organization’s various departments. A dashboard has been developed to teach employees how to reduce the environmental impact of their work-related activities and help them work towards this goal. This initiative is just one way in which Tourisme Montréal sets an example for others and takes the lead in implementing the Montréal tourism industry’s Green Plan.

Among other results of the greening process, Tourisme Montréal reduced its paper consumption by 60% compared to 2010 and offset the greenhouse gas emissions from employee air travel. This means that more than 165 tons of CO2 was offset in 2013 through funding for an agroforestry project in the Montréal area. Also, eight employees helped collect recyclable bibs during the Montréal Bike Fest’s Night Ride, held in June of 2013.

34 2014 Priorities for this Team The priority for the coming months will be to re-establish connections between Tourisme Montréal and all its government partners, and ensure effective collaboration with them. Another major focus will be cultural tourism, with the launch of the updated Development Plan in spring of 2014, and changes to the Events Assistance Program.

A few priorities: / Increase the number of indicators and internal and external tools, to get a better picture of Montréal tourism;

/ Develop methods for measuring the tourism impact of events;

/ Re-conduct the annual survey on the satisfaction and perception of leisure and business travellers;

/ Develop and oversee a policy governing donations and sponsorships;

/ Continue to position Tourisme Montréal’s senior management and pursue initiatives to further the organization’s reputation;

/ Advance Montréal cultural tourism to make it a unique experience;

/ Equip accommodation establishments to implement sustainable development initiatives;

/ Assert Montréal’s position as a sustainable destination among business clients by obtaining the APEX / ASTM certification for destinations. © Tourisme Montréal © Tourisme 35 Finance, Administration, Human Resources and Information Technologies

Finance, administration, human resource and information technology (IT) services are essential to ensuring efficient operation of the organization. As such, they were in great demand in 2013. New senior management, improved management and governance processes and several human resource initiatives are just some of the department’s accomplishments during the past year.

Achievements and Results 2013 Finance and Control / Assisted the Auditor General of Québec (AGQ) in / An in-depth review of Tourisme Montréal gover- performing the value-for-money audit of Tourisme nance, following the AGQ report tabled on Québec and other regional tourist associations; November 27, 2013, included the following initiatives: / Strengthened and documented numerous policies, / Departure of Chairman of the Board on specifically those concerning the delegation of November 29, 2013, and appointment of power and authority, purchasing, expense reports, Acting Chairman of the Board, Michel travel, and the use of cellular phones and IT tools. Archambault; / Used external expertise to conduct an in- Gouvernance depth review of Tourisme Montréal gover- / In August 2012, Yves Lalumière assumed the nance, in the form of a NPO governance spe- position of Chief Executive Officer of Tourisme cialist from the National School of Public Montréal; Administration (ENAP), hired to advise and train management staff and volunteer mem- / A Code of Ethics for management and staff was bers of the Board of Directors in matters of adopted and implemented; governance; / Reviewed the process of allocating certain projects to consulting firms; / Created three new Board committees: the Ethics and Governance Committee, the Human Resources Committee and the Events Committee; / Strengthened the Audit Committee.

/ Implementation of several measures to improve the Administration governance of the Board of Directors and its com- / Hired KPMG Secor to assist with completing and mittees, including: adopting the 2014-2018 strategic directions; / Code of Ethics for Directors; / Definition of independence for directors and / Searched for new premises for Tourisme Montréal procedure for declaring business interests; since its current lease will expire in 2015. The move / Process of appointing directors and skills ma- should generate substantial savings and provide a trix for directors; more functional space for the organization’s offices. / Review of Tourisme Montréal’s General Devencore was chosen through a bidding process Regulations; to help draw up the call for tenders. / Board governance policy and Board committee / The search is now over, and Tourisme Montréal charters; is at the final negotiation stage with the chosen / Annual evaluation process for directors; landlords. / Director’s Guide, governance training and ori- entation procedure for new directors. IT Resources / An extranet was set up for member hotels, enabling / Submission of a brief to the National Assembly’s them to respond quickly and easily to online business Commission de l’économie et du travail (Committee opportunities; on the Economy and Labour) during the special consultations and public hearings on the misuse of / A new website section was added, on the facilities public funds by Tourisme Montréal; available for sports events organizers.

/ perrault Conseil Rémunération et Performance was hired to perform an independent comparative study of executive compensation at Tourisme Montréal.

37 2014 Priorities for this Team

In 2014, the Vice Presidence of Finance, Administration, Human Resources and Infor mation Technology will review the processes for each service and implement a plan to increase organizational efficiency, among other initiatives. To assist in achieving that goal, ROI assessment tools will be developed for each department.

A few priorities: The 3.5% accommodation tax / Improving budgeting systems and internal financial brought in an additional $1 million reporting; compared to 2012 revenue. / Implementing the action plan drawn up in response to the AGQ report tabled November 27, 2013 and the recommendations of the report by the Commission de l’économie et du travail (Committee on the Economy and Labour), issued on February 18, 2014;

38 Financial Data Difference in revenue sources from 2012 to 2013 (in millions of $)

Revenue Revenue difference 2012 2013 2012-2013 Ville de Montréal 1.4 1.1 -0.3 Gouvernement du Québec 1.2 1.2 - Government of Canada 2,0 2,0 - Accommodation tax 21.7 22.88 1.1 Membership fees 0.9 0.9 - Partnerships 4.3 4.7 0.4 Total Revenue 31.5 32.7 1.2

The following charts show the sources of revenue, the breakdown of expenditures by major spending category and the breakdown of expenditures by service.

Tourisme Montréal Revenue in 2013

1. Ville de Montréal 3.5% $1,140,000

2. Gouvernement du Québec 3.6% $1,180,778 The 3.5% accommodation tax brought in an additional $1 million 3. Government of Canada 6.2% $2,008,429 compared to 2012 revenue. 4. Private sector 16.8% $5,477,793

5. Accommodation tax 69.9% $22,821,094

Breakdown in expenditures in 2013 by major spending category

1. Salaries and benefits 22.2% $7,371,151

2. Operating expenses 7.7% $2,580,885

3. Sales and marketing 70.1% $23,364,811

Since the breakdown of salaries and operating expenses is relatively stable compared to 2012, the additional tax revenues were reinvested in sales, marketing and advertising. Incidentally, this budget item is also the one that accounts for the largest share of Tourisme Montreal’s budget.

39 thanks to our partners

Regroupement des hôteliers du Vieux-Montréal

Plusieurs festivals et événements

Because Montréal’s future is everyone’s business, Tourisme Montréal created the mtl à cœur (MTL love) logo.

It’s not an advertising symbol; rather, it’s a rallying cry for the Montréal community, inviting Montrealers and institutions to join together and support their city and its accomplishments. Together, let’s show some MTL love!

Montréal is so much more than a city.

Montréal is a promise shared,

A promise kept, a long-term commitment.

Montréal is a gutsy, stylish city; a city of many surprises.

Montréal is ours: ours to share.

Sharing our love for Montréal means sharing its unique character, special moments, and international accomplishments.

It is an innovative city, eager to move ahead.

Let’s work together to make our city shine.

Because Montréal has it all, and we have every reason to love it.

Together, let’s show some Mtl love.