Five days before Pope Francis’ arrival, it’s not yet the hustle and bustle of downtown Quebec. There is still room in the hotels and the managers feel concerned as customers sometimes have to walk ten minutes to get to the hotel establishments.
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The General Manager of the Association hôtelière de la region de Québec (AHRQ), Alupa Clarke, was the first to confirm that reservations are not crazy at the moment.
“There is still room in our hotels. But it is clear that the hotels of the Greater Capitale-Nationale region will certainly be full during the two days that the Pope will be in the region, with an occupancy rate of almost 75-80%, “he wishes.
Photo Didier Debusschere
At the entrance to the town of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, a billboard promoting the event welcomes visitors.
“We still have a few places, yes,” says Michel Côté of the Clarendon Hotel, who had just learned the buses would not be able to access his home.
“We’ll learn that little by little,” he said regretfully.
Michelle Doré, owner of some Old Quebec hotels including the Hotel Champlain, had no choice but to contact customers who had booked next week to inform them of the road closures.
“You have to park beforehand, either by the town hall or in Chauveau, and then you have to do the rest on foot with your suitcases. Access by car is zero,” she explains, referring to the vast majority of hotels in the upper town.
Nice showcase for Quebec
While some traders are uncertain about the immense logistics of this major event, they agree on the extraordinary visibility that comes from Pope Francis’ visit to Quebec.
“Especially incredible is the positive impact it will have on the destination in the coming months and years. Because everyone will see us there. It’s incredible from a marketing and visibility perspective,” analyzes AHRQ’s Mr. Clarke.
Statements reminiscent of those made by the mayor of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Jacques Bouchard, who earlier this week predicted that the Pope’s visit would have an impact on religious tourism for several years.
In processing
On the other hand, downtown Quebec is transforming in anticipation of the coming of the Holy Father.
Fences were erected along the Grande Allée to the Rue de Claire-Fontaine to the west and on the Chemin de la Croix du Sacrifice leading to the Plains of Abraham.
Photo Didier Debusschere
However, staff have not yet started editing, where the Sovereign Pope’s Mass will be broadcast live from the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
In addition, the remains of the last Festival d’été de Québec are still visible on the ground.
“There are certain infrastructures that we are left with during the week, for example the main stage […] We, the physical installations, will start next week,” says Valérie Roberge-Dion, communications director for the Quebec Catholic Church.
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