2023-07-29 04:00:00
Faced with galloping inflation, many Quebecers have chosen to spend their summer vacations in sunny destinations. Whether by plane, car or boat, they decided to go in search of quality time on the other side of the border to save money.
Last week, The Journal has calculated that a day’s vacation for a family of four can cost nearly $1,000. while remaining completely reasonable. This observation provoked strong reactions on social networks.
Hundreds of Internet users have pointed out that it would be less expensive to pay for an all-inclusive family package than to spend a vacation in la belle province.
“If we compare apples to apples, that we enjoy it in the same way as we would in an all-inclusive, it is definitely more advantageous to go to the south even if the rates are 15 to 20 % higher than before 2020,” said the president of the Association of Quebec Travel Agents, Moscow Côté.
Exorbitant prices
Prepared to spend their vacation in Quebec, Sébastien Lapointe and his wife were seriously put off by the rates during their planning.
“We wanted to spend a week in the area of Quebec and stay at Entourage sur le lac, in Lac-Beauport, explains the father from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, in Montérégie. We thought it was a good place to mix outdoor activities, the beach and going out.”
By doing his calculations, Mr. Lapointe found that this week of rest would have cost “over $3,000”, if we include meals, transportation and free and paid activities for his family of four. Yet he maintains that the biggest extravagance in his budget was an outing to Village Vacances Valcartier.
Change of direction
A neighbor finally convinced him to take a cruise from New York to the Bahamas. The Lapointe family will therefore be aboard a large ship on which everything is included for seven days, starting July 30, and will spend the summer holidays outside Quebec for the first time.
“Not only are we going to save money, but it’s almost certain that there will be good weather. The children will be able to have fun in the water slides on the boat, we will eat well and we will discover new places.
Sébastien Lapointe affirms that he will now be more on the lookout for golden opportunities to escape outside the country during the summer period. This option will even become his priority.
Rising demand, stable supply
According to the president of the Association of Travel Agents of Quebec, the number of travelers who decided to go to seaside destinations during the summer season “cannot really increase” compared to previous years.
“Aircraft have a limited capacity which has not changed. There were also no additional flights, so the offer remained the same. Maybe the demand has increased slightly and that’s a little bit what has pushed up the prices, but it’s hard to measure because we end up with roughly the same number of seats marketed as in 2019.»
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