The year 2023 confirmed the trend of a return to pre-pandemic figures. Vacationers were starting to go further afield again – further than their doorstep – and with a budget well above the small grant of $848 allocated in 2022. The 2024 season is slightly eating away at the upward momentum that was taking shape until here.
The traditional survey, carried out online between April 23 and 30, 2024 by the Léger firm, highlights that, also for the holidays, the crux of the matter remains money. And this year we are entering into trench warfare.
The average budget per vacationer fell by $23 compared to 2023, to $1,020 this year. A slight drop which, according to the CAA Quebec, shows that the cost of living remains a major concern for Quebecers.
“We are seeing a slowdown in travel,” points out David Marcille, spokesperson for CAA-Quebec. This is not a surprise however, he explains, because the association’s advisors, on the ground, have seen this slowdown taking place with their own eyes.
For 54% of respondents, vacation planning had to be reviewed due to the cost of living. “One in two vacationers must adjust their plans by turning to closer destinations, less local travel, fewer activities, less expensive options,” explains Mr. Marcille.
While most numbers are roughly holding steady, the number of RV vacations continues to decline. “The cost of gasoline convinces people to choose a personal car to travel,” notes the spokesperson, who indicates that 65% of vacationers in 2024 have decided to opt for the car.
The length of the holidays has taken its toll. In fact, Quebecers leaving for three weeks or more will be fewer in number. From 36% in 2023, this year they will only be 31%.
In fact, 57% of them chose to stay in the province this summer. The Quebec region, against all expectations, emerges as the big winner in the choice of destination. This is the first year that the tourist region of the national capital has surpassed Gaspésie, usually unbeatable among Quebec destinations.
For others, Ontario is the most popular destination outside Quebec, ahead of the Atlantic provinces and the landscapes of the west of the country. The French cousins are not to be outdone and attract the majority of Quebecers who have chosen to cross the Atlantic.
Mr. Marcille points out that France has always been very popular with Quebec vacationers. However, he notes a decline in interest in recent years, and even more so this summer. “Is this year, for example, due to the Olympic Games which will take place in Paris?”
The unexpected breakthrough of the United Kingdom, which gained 11 percentage points in the ranking of the most popular destinations, suggests that Quebecers are indeed looking for a little more calm than what France can offer this year.
The survey was carried out among a panel of 1001 respondents aged 18 or over. As an indication, a probability sample of the same size would allow the results to be extrapolated with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%, within a confidence interval of 95% (19 times out of 20) .
