For the months of June to September, the Maritime and Air Transport Cooperative (CTMA) has noted a traffic decline of approximately 3% in the number of visitors booked on board the ferry to the Magdalene Islands, compared to the same period last year. year.
However, in July the decline is even stronger, with a decline of 6%.
No representative of the CTMA neither Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine would grant an interview to comment on this decline.
Over there CTMA however, indicates by email that it has not observed any wave of cancellations related to the introduction of the Archipelago Pass, a controversial $30 per visitor tourist tax, payment for which is now optional.
Currently, approximately 75% of the rooms are reserved at La Salicorne inn in July and August, in Grande-Entrée. (archive photo)
Photo: Radio Canada / Isabelle Larose
At La Salicorne inn in Grande-Entrée, it is indicated that approximately 25% of the 26 rooms and eight ready-to-use units are still available in July and August.
What we see is that there is still a slight decrease in the number of reservations compared to the past three years.
notes director Robert St-Onge. We are also having a little more difficulty with sales in June and September, times that we had managed to gain over the past four years.
Robert St-Onge notes that stays in bubble tents, which are more economical than hostel rooms, are selling better than last year. “We feel like people are very reactive to costs,” he notes.
Photo: courtesy of La Salicorne
Without being alarmist, Robert St-Onge still says he is concerned about the situation which he attributes to inflation and the post-pandemic reopening of international markets.
I find the situation worrying. Tourism in our regions is vulnerable. We have won parts of the season, but we also need to consolidate our summers.
Nevertheless, the director of the Grande-Entrée inn notes that reservations are still being made even though June is just around the corner, which makes him believe that these rooms will find buyers.
The phone should keep ringing, but it does this year, it rings, it’s good
he said.
The Passe Archipelago would not be at stake
Like the CTMARobert St-Onge does not believe this delay is related to the Passe Archipelago, as he has personally not heard any visitors complain about it.
There was only one person who talked to us about it and told us he agreed to pay it regardless of the formula.
he notes. It doesn’t seem to have any impact for us.
The owner of the Auberge du port, Claude Thériault, says he has not received any negative reactions from visitors about the Passe Archipelago. (archive photo)
Photo: Radio Canada / Isabelle Larose
The same story at the Auberge du port in Cap-aux-Meules.
Not a single customer spoke to me about this, no one was dissatisfied. The people who talked about it understood it.
Auberge du port’s thirty rooms are already more than 90% booked in July and August, but general manager Claude Thériault notes that visitors have shortened their stays and organized their holidays later.
We notice that people are more nervous and that reservations are of shorter duration, we are more likely to be around 5 to 10 days than 12 to 15 days
notes Mr Thériault. We still have a lot of calls. In other years we were mainly called from October to December.
Mr Thériault believes that this is a return to the situation before the pandemic.