MONTRÉAL, July 7, 2015 /CNW
Telbec/ - The city of Montréal is set to don its Olympic
colours during the Canada Olympic Excellence Day on July 9. A
number of activities have been planned, including the inauguration
of the Canadian Olympic House at 500 René-Lévesque Boulevard
West and, in the evening, the official ceremony for the raising of
the Olympic rings. Tens of thousands of people, including many
Olympic athletes, will be attending the artistic and musical
performances scheduled.
Tourisme Montréal and its partners join Canada's Olympic
Movement and invite Montrealers to come and be part of this
celebration of sports in their city.
"It's important for us to recognize the work and the career of
our athletes who contribute to making Montréal shine on the world
stage. Montréal is a major sports city and has everything it takes
to host a wide range of sports events: modern installations,
skilled trainers and high-level athletes, all matched by its
first-class hospitality and the inimitable joie de vivre of
Montrealers," said Bianelle Legros, Manager, Sports Market, at
Tourisme Montréal. "We have also invited athletes such as
Benoît Huot, Charles Hamelin and many partners to
celebrate the vitality of sports in Montréal," added Legros.
"Being able to train for my sport in Montréal was essential for
me. It allowed me to benefit from the support of my friends and
family, while being able to take advantage of the services of a
qualified trainer," said Benoît Huot, one of Canada's most
decorated Paralympic athletes and holder of many world records in
swimming.
"The atmosphere in Montréal when we host international events
tells us something: Montréal has a huge potential for hosting major
sports competitions. This is where it's happening! The athletes we
meet on the World Cup circuit really like Montréal, not just for he
quality of the sports events organized, but for what the city has
to offer. We had the chance to compete in the World Championships
here, right after the Sochi Olympic Games in 2014, in front of fans
cheering the performances of the best athletes in our sport. For
us, this welcome and this support is worth gold," said
Charles Hamelin, short track speed skater, triple Olympic
champion and holder of more than a hundred World Cup medals.
Tourisme Montréal is taking this opportunity to showcase the
considerable economic development potential that sport has for
Montréal. Responsible for developing and hosting national and
international sports events, Tourisme Montréal has identified the
sports market as one of its priorities. The organization works in
tandem with several partners, including the Ville de Montréal, the
Ministère de l'Éducation, Enseignement supérieur et Recherche
(MEESR), Tourisme Québec, Canada Economic Development, Sport Canada
and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
The future of sports in Montréal looks very promising with
several competitions already confirmed for years to come, including
the 2015 ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup, the Canada 2016
FIS Cross-Country World Cup (Montréal stage), the 2017 IIHF Ice
Hockey Junior World Championship, and the 2017 Artistic Gymnastics
World Championships.
About Tourisme Montréal
Tourisme Montréal is responsible for providing leadership in the
concerted efforts of hospitality and promotion in order to position
the "Montréal" destination on leisure and business travel markets.
It is also responsible for developing Montréal's tourism product in
accordance with the ever-changing conditions of the market.
For more information, visit www.tourisme-montreal.org.
SOURCE Tourisme Montréal