Yves Lalumière knows Montreal, perhaps better than anyone in the city.
As CEO of Tourisme Montréal, Lalumière can leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding all the sparks of joy that this city can give. Montreal is a fabulous glamour and party city—as we all know—but it’s another thing to take everything that makes our city tick and package it in a way that allows Montreal to shine on the world’s stage. And Lalumière and his team do that every single day by supporting important organizations and initiatives all year-long. Presenting Montreal to the world also means looking at our home through the lens of someone who sees it through fresh eyes. Montreal is currently a leader in sustainability, which adds yet another important lure as a global destination for travel. With more direct international flights coming to Montreal than ever, we’re seeing people from all over the world choose Montreal as a place to discover.
Then there’s Montreal’s everlasting reputation as a city of celebration and how that has changed to reflect our increasingly sophisticated sensibilities. In honour of this special connection themed edition, we spoke with Lalumière about creating lasting connections between the city, its citizens, visitors, and the many stakeholders that make Montreal special.
How does Tourisme Montréal help Montreal shine on the world stage? We have so many world-class events and components that it’s really about embracing them. We all know the Montreal Canadiens. But on the sports front, we also have numerous other draws, like the upcoming President’s Cup in golf and the 2024 World Figure Skating Championships this past spring. We make sure we’re promoting these competitions regularly on multiple media and social media platforms at many locations and venues including airports, trains, and bus shelters, while also generating ample content to help support all these amazing things happening in Montreal.
How do you connect all the people in the city with what Tourisme Montréal does? The purpose of Tourisme Montréal is to make sure we bring people together, because that creates a big social impact for the city. We want people to learn from each other and see how we’re all working to make this a harmonious destination. We want people to be linked together with activities that both residents and visitors alike can enjoy, including sports and festivals that attract not only locals but many visitors from outside the city. It’s the same thing for gastronomy—we know that’s something people love, and we want to promote all the outstanding food Montreal has to offer.
What do tourists love about Montreal? So many things including our universities, many cultural influences and languages spoken, and the fact that Montrealers are not afraid to get around, whatever the weather (laughs). We were recently at the Chamber of Commerce during the middle of a snowstorm, and the place was still full of life! Thanks to the underground city and overall transportation system, mobility is greatly facilitated even in incremental weather, thereby fostering connectivity among our citizens, which visitors then see and experience firsthand, adding to the unique Montreal experience. That said, our leading attractions remain the incredible selection of festivals (over 120 throughout the year), top tier gastronomy scene, and overall warmth and well-being of the citizenry.
“IT’S ALSO ABOUT BEING PROUD OF BEING A CULTURAL METROPOLIS.
WE HAVE SO MANY OF THE TOP 100 RESTAURANTS IN CANADA RIGHT HERE. (AT LAST CHECK IT WAS AROUND 30 PERCENT). WE HAVE FORMULA 1 TOO, WHICH IS AN IMPACTFUL EVENT. BUT WE’LL ALWAYS BE A PLAYFUL CITY. MONTREAL IS A PLACE TO FEEL THE FREEDOM TO HAVE FUN AND RELEASE YOUR INNER CHILD. MONTREAL WILL FOREVER HAVE THAT CHARACTER.”
What is a day in the life of Tourisme Montréal’s CEO? It’s an exciting position that I’ve had for the last 10 years. It’s a very stimulating job because you know you can start the day at the office and end it in a meeting with international business partners on the mountain, or you can have a video day shooting for a client. I’m an ambassador of the city, and every day I’m doing something that reminds me of why I love Montreal so much. I’m always doing something different, and I’m always meeting new people and telling them about the city.
Is Montreal still considered a worldwide party city? Is it also a high-end, luxury city? We’ve noticed that in the past few years, Montreal has emerged as a luxury city, but not necessarily in a typical way. It’s a mix between the lifestyle and the luxury that comes with being a destination city, offering unique experiences. We see more luxury hotels coming to Montreal, and I think we’ll keep adding to them. The definition of luxury has evolved with time, and now it’s more about the experience—so that’s what we can offer. Now more than ever, people are spending on experiences and entertainment, and we’re one of the best at offering that. We’re also one of the safest cities in North America and a top-three bicycle city. Those are things that people consider luxuries too.
It’s also about being proud of being a cultural metropolis. We have so many of the top 100 restaurants in Canada right here. (At last check it was around 30 percent). We have Formula 1 too, which is an impactful event. But we’ll always be a playful city. Montreal is a place to feel the freedom to have fun and release your inner child. Montreal will forever have that character.
What does it mean that Montreal is a global leader in sustainability, and why is that important for tourists? Though we’re fond of saying that all of Montreal is a playground, when it comes to sustainability, we’re also one of the best sustainable destination playgrounds for several reasons, the most obvious of which is a mountain in the heart of the city, Mount Royal, which visitors love. We, on the home front, affectionally call it our green lung! (laughs). What also makes Montreal great compared to cities like Paris, for example, is that we don’t have as many people and there’s more overall space to walk around. That’s something visitors appreciate. Sometimes it’s about knowing what tourists are looking for, like in winter when we attract visitors from New York looking for a true winter experience. We’re a bona fide four-season destination for people.
These days, with social media, it’s important for Montreal to have viral moments. What do you think about those (like The Bachelor filming an episode here)? Do viral moments encourage people to visit Montreal? It’s very important to measure these kinds of things, and it’s equally important to have a pipeline of journalists and other experts who come to Montreal. (Almost 150 international journalists visit annually.) We’ll have media here for the big moments, like Formula 1 and Jazz Fest, but we’ll also host leading series like The Bachelor or Top Chef that are also important to telling the story of the city. We have our own social network of influencers on multiple platforms who talk about us to a worldwide audience and currently have almost 450,000 followers on Instagram alone. If we’ve made an investment in lights or something to beautify the city, social media can be a great way to communicate that message to a unique audience. A favourite right now is the giant BONJOUR MONTRÉAL installation in the old port that visitors love to take photos with. I think that’s a really special attribute of Montreal: that it doesn’t matter if you’re here for a conference, an event, or just for fun; in the end, you’ll feel that connection to the city once you’re here, and you’ll never forget it.
Discover more about our brilliant city of connectivity and experiences at mtl.org.