Montreal, Lyon Team Up
Just as Air Canada kicks off year-round service between Montreal and Lyon, France, Tourisme Montréal has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Lyon Tourist Office and Convention Bureau.
The two cities have enjoyed close ties since signing a Friendship Agreement in 1979, and this relationship has only grown stronger over the years, with several missions being carried out to both Montreal and Lyon. Numerous business sectors, including tourism, constitute areas of opportunity for the two cities.
The two tourism bureaus have agreed to work together on increasing inbound flights to their cities, with a view to boosting tourism numbers, and promoting bi-directional travel for culture and food tourism, as well as for business. They will also exchange ideas on issues such as performance indicators, statistics, welcome strategies and technology to improve their respective operating procedures.
“Adding direct flights to and from Lyon opens up excellent opportunities for Montreal. In addition to bringing in more tourists from this strategic market, this memorandum of understanding will allow Tourisme Montréal to learn more about how we can improve Montreal’s appeal with enhanced tourist attractions,” said Yves Lalumière, president and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.
“Between 2013 and 2015, there was a 70% increase in the number of Canadians visiting the ONLYLYON Pavilion, and the direct flights between Lyon and Montreal are sure to bolster these numbers even more,” said Jean-Michel Daclin, president of ONLYLYON Tourisme.
(photo provided by Destination Canada)
