Inflation is causing Quebecers to scale back vacation plans

The Gaspesie is no longer the most popular destination for Quebec tourists in the province with more travellers choosing Quebec City to fit their budget for the summer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Cal Woodward

In a sign that the situation hasn't improved since last year, 68 per cent of Quebecers plan to go on vacation this summer.

That's one percentage point less than last year, according to CAA-Quebec's 15th survey of vacation intentions.

The year 2023 confirmed the trend of a return to pre-pandemic figures.

Vacationers were once again heading further afield - farther than their own doorstep - and with a budget well in excess of the small $848 purse allocated in 2022.

The 2024 season has slightly eroded the upward momentum that has been building up to now.

The traditional poll is conducted online between April 23 and April 30, 2024 by Léger.

The average budget per vacationer is down $23 from 2023, to $1,020 this year. A slight drop which, according to CAA Québec, shows that the cost of living remains a major concern for Quebecers.

"We're seeing a slowdown on the travel front,” said CAA-Quebec spokesperson David Marcille. "This comes as no surprise, he explains, as the association's advisors in the field have seen this slowdown first-hand.

"For 54 per cent of those surveyed, vacation planning has had to be reviewed precisely because of the cost of living. One vacationer in two has had to adjust his or her plans, turning to closer destinations, less travel, fewer activities, less expensive options," said Marcille.

While most figures remain more or less stable, the number of RV vacations continues to decline: "The cost of gasoline is convincing people to choose the personal car for travel instead," the spokesperson said, who points out that 65 per cent of vacationers in 2024 decided to opt for the car.

The length of vacations, meanwhile, has taken a turn for the worse. Fewer Quebecers will be going away for three weeks or more.

From 36 per cent in 2023, the number fell to 31 per cent this year.

In fact, 57 per cent of them have chosen to stay in the province this summer.

Against all expectations, the Quebec City region is the big winner in terms of choice of destination. This is the first year that the provincial capital's tourist region has surpassed Gaspésie, usually the undisputed destination of choice in Quebec.

For the rest, Ontario is the most popular destination outside Quebec, ahead of the Atlantic provinces and the country's western landscapes. Our French cousins are not to be outdone, attracting the majority of Quebecers who have chosen to cross the Atlantic.

Marcille points out that France has always been very popular with Quebec vacationers. However, he noted a drop in interest over the last few years, and even more so this summer: "Is it due to the Olympic Games in Paris, for example?"

The unexpected breakthrough of the UK, up 11 percentage points in the ranking of most popular destinations, suggests that Quebecers are indeed looking for a little more peace and quiet than France has to offer this year.

The survey was based on a panel of 1,001 respondents aged 18 or over. The margin of error is +/- 3.1%, within a confidence interval of 95 per cent (19 times out of 20).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 2, 2024.