Rimouski – Cruise the Saint Lawrence is proud to have commissioned Aviseo Conseil, a Quebec firm, to paint the most comprehensive picture ever of the economic impact of international cruises on the St. Lawrence. This study reveals that cruise passengers spent an average of $364 per day in 2024 when they visited one of the nine ports of call in Quebec.
In total, international cruises generated spending of $329.3 million in 2024 in the various regions along the St. Lawrence. This spending generated added value of $192.2 million for the Quebec economy. The cruise industry also generates 2,299 direct, indirect and induced jobs.
The 2024 season will see a total of 411,163 passenger days, 2.5% more than in 2023 and 54.5% more than in 2022, showing that Quebec is moving closer to the pre-pandemic situation as a cruise destination.
“The cruise industry is a powerful lever for economic development in many regions of Quebec. The spin-offs demonstrated by this study confirm the structuring effect of this industry, not only on port investments and regional jobs, but also on the attractiveness of tourism outside peak periods. This is a unique opportunity to showcase our regions, our culture and our expertise to an international clientele that is curious and in search of authenticity,” says Marie-Andrée Blanchet, President of Croisières du Saint-Laurent.
As the main port of embarkation and disembarkation, the Port of Quebec welcomed the most cruise passengers in Quebec in 2024, with 108 ships and 218,073 passenger days. Also acting as a port of embarkation and disembarkation, the port of Montreal generated the highest average expenditure per passenger, including accommodation, at $662 per day. Adding the accommodation factor in Quebec City and Montreal increases the average spending by cruise passengers on the St Lawrence to $442 per day. Finally, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is the region that generates the most economic spinoffs in added value after the Capitale-Nationale, with $20.6 million.
Six regions host the cruises
In all, six of Quebec’s administrative regions host international cruises and benefit from the structuring effects on their regional economies. The Capitale-Nationale, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Montreal, Côte-Nord, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Mauricie are all benefiting from regional development specific to the cruise sector, especially in terms of significant investment in various port infrastructures.
Spending by international cruise passengers is also a major source of foreign currency, and represents a net source of wealth for the Quebec economy. In fact, 91.6% of tourist spending is denominated in foreign currency by international cruise passengers, representing some $167 million of the $4.1 billion in foreign currency that tourism brings into Quebec each year.
The promotion of Quebec culture and content, through regional tourist attractions and various local products, also benefits from a significant international showcase, especially for regions outside the major centres.
In terms of tourism development, international cruises help to extend the season in the various port-of-call regions and generate an influx of around 400,000 visitors, most of them during the months of September and October, which are often synonymous with a slowdown in the tourism industry. It’s worth noting that the first winter cruises on the St Lawrence in winter 2025 are just one example of how cruise development is in line with the priorities of the Ministry of Tourism, which also wants to capitalise on winter tourism. What’s more, the Aboriginal nations living near the shores of the St Lawrence can benefit from cruise passengers’ desire for authentic experiences. One in three international visitors to Canada is interested in Aboriginal tourism experiences.
(Cruise ship photos from ports of Quebec and Montreal)