selling canada
50 / Interview
Talking Canada with
Caroline Proulx Minister of Tourism, Québec
The newly-launched Air Transat flight is the first air connection between the UK and Québec City. How important is this for Québec’s tourism recovery? It has been a top priority for the Government of Québec to invest in our airports and airlift. This year 10 million Canadian dollars has been spent on ensuring that there are direct flights connecting our main markets, which includes the UK. We are thrilled that it is now easier than ever before for Brits to visit Québec as a result of the new Air Transat London-Gatwick to Québec City flight, the first non-stop service to connect both cities. I think sometimes Canada can seem quite daunting because of its vast size but now Brits can get to Québec in just five hours – it’s practically short-haul! Why should agents’ book Québec now? Québec is a year-round destination. We’re finding that luxury adventure is a big trend for us. Québec offers rugged wilderness but still with an element of comfort. And in under 20 minutes you are in pure wilderness, with national Parks on the doorstep. Québec has also always scored very highly in North America for its great food and creative chefs. We often compete with New York and Los Angeles when it comes to
sleeping with wolves
Tourisme Laurentides
Caroline Proulx, Minister of Tourism for Québec, sits down with Jessica Pook to discuss the new direct Air Transat route to Québec City and the steps the province is taking to promote its sustainable tourism initiatives.
The Laurentides
“The beauty and passion of our French language and culture is what sets us apart from anywhere else in Canada” gastronomy and both Montréal and Québec City are now really showcasing the region’s locally grown product. We also have over 150 micro-breweries. What sets Québec apart from other destinations in Canada? The beauty and passion of our language and culture. Promoting and protecting the French language is sacred to us. It influences our cuisine, our culture and the warmth in which we welcome guests and is something completely unique to anywhere else in Canada. Also, our festivals and events are at the heart of Québec City. Festival d’été de Québec draws major artists from across the world. Sir Elton John came a couple of years ago and it completely sold out. Tell us about Québec’s Plan of Action for responsible and sustainable tourism development. In June 2020 we launched a comprehensive Tourism Recovery Plan for the province – the most expansive of all the Canadian provinces – in order to help the industry
navigate through the pandemic. Since then we have gone further by launching an official Plan of Action for responsible and sustainable tourism development, (the first in Canada) and have invested $30 million into green initiatives such as the development of electric car routes. Our electric car circuit enables tourists to rent an electric car for the entirety of their stay, stopping off at key attractions which all have recharging points. By 2030 you will only be able to buy an electric car in Québec. We’ve also secured UNESCO world heritage site status for Anticosti island and are looking into protecting Magdalen Island, a small archipelago in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, against erosion and further climate change. What is your top recommendation for those visiting Québec? One of my most unforgettable travel experiences was sleeping with the wolves in Parc Omega. You stay overnight in these big luxury country houses with panoramic windows that separate you from the wolves but offer unrestricted views. We watched them as we dined and my kids absolutely loved getting so close to them. * The Air Transat flight operates once a week, on Wednesdays, and will operate from now until October. The airline has also resumed its London-Gatwick to Montréal service, a route that was shelved in 2019. bonjourquebec.com; airtransat.com •
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Quebec interview v8.indd 50
7/5/22 03:19 PM
