Tourisme Montréal is expecting 12.5 million visitors in 2026, shattering the previous record of more than 11 million in 2019.

Hotel reservations increased by 14 per cent in July compared to the same month last year, with an occupancy rate of 86 per cent.

Visitors are coming from all over the world, according to Tourisme Montréal. Between May and July, Americans led the way with a seven per cent increase compared to the same period from last year.

The number of visitors from other international locations increased five per cent, the same change as visitors from other parts of Canada.

Many visitors say they plan to take in as many attractions as possible.

Get breaking National news

“We just wanted to come and hang out and do all the stuff. We’re going on a bus tour and we’re going to do all the hop on, hop off things and we’re going to check out the science centre,” Lorrie Smith, who’s visiting from Toronto with her family, told Global News.

Some international visitors say they love the joie de vivre of the city and the hospitality they’re receiving.

“You are really warm,” Francine Swierczynski, from France, told Global News. She is in Montreal visiting a long-time friend.

Montreal’s business tourism is also trending upwards, with 35,000 visitors coming in July, compared to 19,300 in the same month last year.

The high number of visitors is a boon for the hospitality industry as well as the bottom line for many souvenir shops.

“Good stuff, we’re selling a lot, we’re doing really well and it’s finally good to be busy,” Arjun Srivastava of Bastix Souvenirs in Old Montreal told Global News.

Tourisme Montréal said 2026 will hopefully mark an upward trend for visitors to the city.