How to avoid excessive tourism in Quebec City?

Quebec City is highly appreciated by tourists for its heritage buildings and European architecture. During the last weekend, more than ten cruise ships arrived at the port of the Québec capital. To avoid excessive tourism, tourism professionals try to extend the season.

According to Marie-Andrée Blanchet, spokesman for the Quebec port administration, 230,000 cruise passengers are expected in 2019 in Quebec, the same amount as in 2018.

The port wishes to attract 400,000 cruise passengers in 2025. The goal of the port administration is to increase the number of tourists to reach their goal, but without harming the tourist experience of visitors.

To achieve this, Quebec cannot accommodate more than 15,000 passengers per day. “We have the intuition that the experience of customers and Quebec residents goes hand in hand. It is not for nothing that they want our city! People are welcoming to passengers and feel they appreciate them, ”says the spokeswoman.

We are aware of what is being done around the world to avoid such a situation (of excessive tourism) in Quebec

– Marie-Andrée Blanchet, spokesman for the Quebec port administration

Extend the season

The Tourism Office of Quebec City wishes to take advantage of the expansion of the tourism industry. The objective of the Office, explains the director of communications, Éric Bilodeau, is to welcome tourists throughout the year, instead of waiting for the cruises to end in the Mediterranean Sea.

«We want to attract more cruise lines to come earlier in the tourist season, in May, June, July or August when the city is magnificent. Thus, we could receive family cruises in a context where there are more than 200 cruise ships under construction in the world, ”says Eric Bilodeau.

Cruises arrive between two seasons, en route to the Caribbean, for the winter. Quebec is a stopping point of the circuit we call Canada-New-England. We must convince them to arrive earlier, but it's a long-term job

– Éric Bilodeau, communications director of the Tourism Office of Quebec City.

According to the Minister of Tourism, Caroline Proulx, the cruise industry generates economic benefits of more than 193 million dollars in the province.

Organize motorized traffic

The municipal councilor, Jean Rousseau, believes that in the face of high tourist frequencies in the Old Port of Quebec, traffic must be improved.

He believes that it is possible to coordinate more effectively the journeys in the Old Port sector and favor transportation in common, which, according to him, would make the city an even more welcoming place.

But several residents complain about the flow of tourists in the Québec capital, whether as pedestrians. Catherine Roberge fears that tourism will change her neighborhood. Si ’If it continues like this, local businesses will suffer and we will only see shops for tourists. It would be like an artificial Disneyland, ”laments the resident.