It was on July 15, 2023 that the most “international transactions” were recorded in Quebec, according to data collected by Moneris, an electronic payment service provider.
David Chamussy, vice-president of operations for Moneris, specifies that these are purchases paid for with credit cards issued by foreign banks.
While the science isn’t exact – since some foreigners may be here on business – this data confirms trends in visitor behavior here.
So what was happening on July 15, 2023?
It was the Tremblant Blues Festival, Nuits d’Afrique in Montreal and we celebrated wine in Saguenay. Above all, that Saturday evening, Lana Del Rey was on the Plains of Abraham at the Quebec Summer Festival.
Moneris calculated that total spending by foreign consumers in the entertainment, hotel and restaurant sectors increased by nearly 50% in Quebec on July 15, 2023.
This explains why this Saturday was at the top of the days when tourists spent the most here, rather than two days later, when Les Cowboys Fringants gave their now legendary concert, also on the Plains of Abraham.
“It’s certain that Les Cowboys Fringants attracted more Quebecers while Lana Del Rey or American groups attract a lot of Americans, particularly those who come from the Northeastern states,” specifies David Chamussy, of Moneris.
The majority of days that heated Moneris terminals in Quebec last year were in the months of July and August, and (unsurprisingly) on weekends. Two September days slip into this list, including Saturday, September 30, the only day outside of summer whose presence is quite difficult to explain, even for Moneris analysts who will observe what is happening at the same time this year.
According to David Chamussy, several factors explain why tourists are present and spend a lot, including certainly the weather which can play a role in travel decisions for local travelers, such as Americans who could be tempted by a colorful weekend in Quebec .
And the weather was nice on September 30, 2023.
According to Moneris analyses, the peak tourist season which is beginning should be good for the industry, with international travelers returning.
“Since the pandemic, it has gone up every year,” recalls David Chamussy, who specifies that the Montreal airport is also planning increases for the next years, and starting now.
“This is information that also comes from operators in the tourism sector,” he says. “We take this information that we aggregate with our data and we expect increases, especially in June, August and September.”
Moneris is a joint venture of the Royal Bank of Canada and the Bank of Montreal.
