New horizons: St. Lawrence and Saguenay open up to international cruise ships

Summer 2009 brought a number of firsts for the St. Lawrence and Saguenay rivers. For starters, the MS Maasdam, a vessel flying the Dutch flag, became the first international cruise ship to drop anchor at the port of Sept-Îles and kicked off the navigation season in Gaspé. Next, it was Havre-Saint-Pierre’s turn to enjoy the limelight when the international cruise ship Princess Danae docked in its port. Then came the perfect close to the summer season: the official inauguration of the international cruise reception pavilion in Saguenay.

These ports of call, along with their counterparts in Baie-Comeau and Gaspésie/Îles-de-la-Madeleine, are brimming with the promise of an unforgettable stay. Indeed, the communities now welcoming cruise passengers are veritable beacons of tourism and have everything they need to take their rightful place within existing tour circuits and itineraries.  

Wind of hope for the regional economy

Quebec’s international cruise industry is moving forward at full throttle. Indeed, the industry posted record increases in 2009 with 166,000 passengers—40,000 more than in 2008—choosing the St. Lawrence as their cruise destination and 63,000 crew members—up from 45,000 the previous year—manning the vessels. It is expected that by the year 2014, the industry will be responsible for the maintenance of some 2,800 jobs and the injection of about a billion dollars in the economy. This makes it all the more important that the regions be able to capitalize on cruise passengers’ growing interest in new and exciting destinations like Quebec’s port cities.

Canada Economic Development has eagerly supported the development of the international cruise industry along the St. Lawrence and Saguenay rivers.

Committed to lending Quebec’s regions a hand in their efforts, the Government of Canada helped fund the infrastructure work needed to enable the ports to accommodate deep draught vessels. It also backed initiatives aimed at building regional capabilities to draw visitors and offer them unforgettable stays. These projects have the potential to diversify and strengthen the economy in many Quebec regions by, among other things, extending the tourist season, attracting a greater number of visitors and allowing Quebec to occupy an ever-growing place on the cruise tour map. Government authorities and economic stakeholders have banded together to build a comprehensive tourism offering.  

Promising sector

“As we anticipated, international cruise ships are a powerful engine of development for the economy of Quebec’s regions. Indeed, a great many cruise passengers have already answered the call, and our port regions enjoyed an exceptional tourist season this year. The equation is quite simple: the better the tourism offering, the higher the returns,” explains René Trépanier, Executive Director of the Cruise the Saint Lawrence Association. “The growth of this industry also promises to generate positive social benefits by strengthening the population’s sense of belonging and pride. The local communities strive to surpass themselves in hosting the cruise passengers. For them, it’s like welcoming special guests into their home. This opening of the waterways to international cruise ships would never have been possible without the collaboration of both levels of government and the municipalities,” he adds.

The St. Lawrence and Saguenay rivers together constitute a natural heritage that is truly unique in the world, one whose majestic waterways, bordered by breathtaking landscapes, is rivalled only by the warmth of the hospitality.