Fearing a drop in traffic due to the cloudy weather, Quebec's tourism industry is pleased with higher-than-expected visitor numbers.
• Also read: As the winter tourist season begins, tourists are definitely present in Montreal
Around 12 p.m., tourists were out and about in Old Quebec, particularly at the outdoor ice skating rink at Place D'Youville.
Although hotels are not full, Quebec Region Hotel Association (AHRQ) general manager Alupa Clarke says visitor numbers are “good.”
TVA News
“It was raining a lot so we were scared. Finally it's good, the traffic is pretty enormous. Last week, December 17-23, we were the No. 1 destination in Canada,” he says.
“It's better than I thought. We expected 65%. The people are there.”
TVA News
The lack of snow cover on several outdoor hiking trails is encouraging Quebecers and international tourists to visit the ancient capital, our journalist noted. Here are some reactions collected locally:
“We can’t go into the forest. It’s “muddy” in the forest and all that. That's why we come for a walk. We love Quebec, it’s so beautiful.”
“We’re doing an audio tour. We learn the little stories of the individual buildings in the neighborhood. We use it, the weather doesn’t stop us.”
*See explanations in the video above*