
From left to right: Martin Lessard, General Manager of MT Lab; Emmanuelle Legault, President and CEO of Palais des congrès de Montréal; and Audrey Bernard, founder and entrepreneur of Stimulation Déjà Vu.
Montreal, May 2, 2023 – MT Lab, in collaboration with the Palais des congrès de Montréal, will officially open the first Vitrine d’innovations en tourisme this Thursday, May 4 at 10am. Accessible free of charge to the public in the commercial area of the Palais des congrès, the Showcase presents Montreal through a journey made up of multisensory and interactive installations. It’s an avant-garde way of positioning the city as a hub of tourism innovation, for international convention-goers and Montrealers alike!
To conceptualize and implement the inaugural theme of the Innovation Showcase, 5 senses, 4 seasons, 1 city, the MT Lab commissioned Quebec-based Stimulation Déjà Vu to create an original multisensory journey to see, smell, hear, touch and taste Montreal, through the seasons and across its emblematic neighborhoods.
Several innovative companies have developed unique experiences for this first Vitrine. The Saga team offers a sound stroll that will transport visitors to Parc Jean-Drapeau on a beautiful summer’s day. The creators ofAtracktiv present a playful experience consisting of a tactile mural and an interactive bike, a moment to discover at your fingertips the hidden wonders of the Plateau Mont-Royal in autumn. To reveal the beauties of Montreal’s winter, theOttomata team imagined and designed two visual and interactive installations depicting the surroundings of Old Montreal and the Quartier des Spectacles. Finally, at the heart of these stations, visitors will be able to taste the Botanical Gardens and smell Montreal’s neighborhoods, thanks to small olfactory bicycles developed by Stimulation Déjà Vu. A unique experience in sustainable mobility! In the room adjacent to the multi-sensory trail, a creative lounge has been created and furnished by original companies Kübbii, My Cantine, Aglaé and Gallea.
Quotes
“Visitors from here and around the world will discover the beauty of our city from an original angle, thanks to the creativity of innovative Montreal companies. The collaboration between MT Lab and the Palais des congrès de Montréal helps to raise Montreal’s profile and highlight its entrepreneurial and innovative dynamism.” – Luc Rabouin, responsible for economic and commercial development, knowledge, innovation and design on the Executive Committee of the Ville de Montréal.
“The launch of this multi-sensory showcase marks an important milestone in our commitment to promoting Montreal’s excellence as an innovative destination. It’s a unique opportunity to showcase local talent and introduce our international guests and conventioneers to the richness of Montreal’s seasons. We hope to encourage them to extend their business trip into a leisure stay, while taking advantage of our city’s attractions.” – Emmanuelle Legault, President and CEO, Palais des congrès de Montréal.
“Tourisme Montréal has supported innovation for many years. As a founding member of MT Lab, it’s important for us to provide a showcase for the city’s start-ups in the tourism, culture and entertainment sectors, so that we can creatively promote our tourist attractions to visitors. We’re delighted that the MT Lab is pursuing its mission by bringing together entrepreneurs from the local innovation ecosystem. This collaboration between our organizations is yet another step towards showcasing Montreal’s exceptional creativity. – Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.
“Our Showcase highlights the innovative companies at MT Lab and the Palais, and positions Montreal as a hotbed of innovation among international business people and players in the tourism industry.” – Martin Lessard, General Manager, MT Lab.
“We’re very proud to have conceptualized the 5 senses trail as part of a Vitrine sur l’innovation with three major players in the tourism industry. This project enabled us to work with some of Montreal’s finest emerging entrepreneurs. The multi-sensory itineraries we offer are a new way of telling the story of and discovering a destination.” – Audrey Bernard, founder and entrepreneur at Stimulation Déjà Vu.
About MT Lab
North America’s first incubator-accelerator dedicated to the world of tourism, culture and entertainment. MT Lab is both an incubator and gas pedal for startups, a platform for open innovation and networking, a space for experimentation and monitoring, as well as a place for co-working and entrepreneurial support. The MT Lab was created in 2017 by UQÀM and Tourisme Montréal, it accompanies more than a dozen major corporate partners to spark innovation and accelerate opportunities in their fields. It is a proud partner of the Ville de Montréal, the Ministère du Tourisme du Québec, the Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation, and Canada Economic Development.
SOURCE
MT Lab I MTlab.ca
About the Palais des congrès de Montréal
The Palais des congrès de Montréal holds the industry’s most important certification for quality standards, and its mission is to solicit and host conventions, exhibitions, conferences, meetings and other events. Backed by a creative team whose customer satisfaction ratings are among the highest in the world, the Palais generates significant economic and intellectual spin-offs for the metropolis and Quebec, while contributing to the international reputation of Montreal, the city that hosts the most international events in the Americas.
SOURCE
Palais des congrès de Montréal | congresmtl.com
The media are invited to visit the exhibition the day before the opening, in the presence of the main instigators and creators. To arrange a visit or for further details, please contact Anne-Marie Savoie or Alexandra Mc Donald.
MEDIA CONTACT
Alexandra Mc Donald I alexandra@fernandezcom.ca
C. 418 271-7600
ON-SITE
Anne-Marie-A. Savoie | annemarie@fernandezcom.ca
C. 418 934-7448