A Heavenly Spotlight On Tourism Shines On Montreal This Autumn - Travel News, Tourism News - By: beinirouel8917

The global

spotlight on religious tourism shines brightly on Montreal this autumn.

On October 17, the canonized the founder of St. Joseph's

Oratory, Brother Andre. From November 13 to 16, the World Religious

Travel Association (WRTA) will welcome hundreds of faith-based travel

professionals and organisations to Montreal for the third annual World

Religious Travel Expo.
"Never before has the country been at such

centre stage for one of the world's fastest growing forms of tourism,"

said Kevin J. Wright, WRTA President. "The timing couldn't be better.

With record numbers of people travelling for faith-based purposes in

recent years, the two historic events will provide Montreal and Canada a

prime opportunity to showcase its world-class shrines and undiscovered

places of pilgrimage."
Canada is home to dozens of sacred sites. Quebec's four National Sanctuaries are:
* St. Joseph's Oratory (Montreal)
* Notre-Dame-du-Cap Sanctuary (Mauricie)
* Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre (Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre)
* Ermitage Saint-Antoine de Lac-Bouchette (Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean)
The

formal ceremonies of Brother Andre's canonization took place on October

17, at the Vatican. However, many local festivities and events were

held concurrently in Canada, including scheduled activities and

celebrations at Montreal's St. Joseph's Oratory, which welcomes two

million pilgrims and visitors every year. Saint Brother Andre remains

one of the most popular French-Canadians, and is best known for helping

the poor and sick during his lifetime, as well as being associated with

miraculous cures.
The World Religious Travel Expo is the world's

pre-eminent faith tourism marketplace gathering with more than 500

travel professionals and tourism organizations from over 30 countries in

attendance. This November's Expo will be held in conjunction with the

NTA Convention for the second year, providing a combined gathering of

2,000-plus travel professionals and tourism organizations.
"It is

with great pride that we host this year's edition of the NTA Convention

alongside the 2010 edition of the World Religious Travel Expo,"

expressed the Honourable Charles Lapointe, President and CEO of Tourisme

Montreal. "All eyes will be on Montreal, as key players from all facets

of the international tourist industry come here to do business. To be

chosen as the convention site is indeed a great honour, and demonstrates

yet again to the world that Montreal is a world-class destination for

meetings and tourism. While the immediate economic impact of these

conventions is expected to be sizeable, it is the residual impact that

is even more valuable: with Montreal as a tourism focal point, the

exposure garnered from such a convention will undoubtedly result in

significant long-term spin-offs," he concluded.
On the day following

the Expo's conclusion, WRTA will host a special two-day familiarization

trip for travel professionals to discover the celebrated shrines of

Quebec, as well as how to develop an itinerary around them and promote

the travel packages to church and religious groups. In addition, tour

participants will enjoy an excursion to the spectacular

Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean area and its breathtaking fjord.
WRTA will

also host a Travel Ministry Conference during the Expo on Monday,

November 15. Serving as a half-day gathering, this regional event is

designed specifically for pastors, ministry leaders, and other faith

community members. Attendees discover and learn how to build a

successful and effective travel ministry program for their respective

congregations and organizations. Travel Ministry Conference participants

will also have an opportunity to walk the Expo tradeshow floor and meet

hundreds of faith-based travel providers, suppliers, and destinations.

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