Montreal expecting 11.2 million tourists in 2017

Montreal is expecting 11.2 million tourists over the course of 2017, thanks in part to the city's 375th anniversary celebrations.

The Conference Board of Canada says the number of tourists expected to visit Montreal this year represents an increaseof between 5.3 and 5.5 per cent over 2016.

That's nearly two percentage pointshigher than the rest of Canada, where anincrease of 3.7 per cent is expected.

• Montreal honours its founders, stresses diversity at 375th anniversary celebration

Hotels in the city's downtown core are reporting a 90 per cent occupancy rate.

Visitors happy with Montreal

A recent Ipsos poll found that 95 per cent of tourists polled in 2016 reported being satisfied with their stay in Montreal.

That view was shared by tourists interviewed by CBC in Old Montreal on Monday.

Jean Bruch, who wasvisiting from Pennsylvania to celebrate a friend'sbirthday, appreciated that everything is within walking distance.

"There's museums, there's fabulous restaurants it's beautiful," she said.

Malika Mansouri, who was visiting from Germany, said she was "delighted" by the city, and especially the people.

"There's something fresh here, compared to Europe," she said.

"People are very nice to each other,very polite, very helpful. And you meet people from all races, and they seem to live together, really very fine."