The Association Hôtelière Québec (AHQ) denounces the classification of Club Med de Charlevoix as a “vacation center”, which allows it to avoid collecting a tax that would be beneficial to the entire tourism industry.
Club Med de Charlevoix has just opened its doors on Friday and is already the subject of strong criticism from the hotel industry.
This is because the hotel complex has requested a classification – which has been approved by the Corporation of the tourism industry of Quebec (CITQ) – of a vacation center rather than that of a hotel establishment.
Club Med plays on the words and interpretation of the law, says the AHQ.
“The offer of Club Med services has no connection with the definition of a holiday center, at least the spirit of the law which refers rather to holiday camps for young people”, explains the CEO of the AHQ, Véronyque Tremblay.
A slap”
However, this classification allows it to avoid collecting a tax of 3.5% of the price of the night, which is usually redistributed in such a way as to promote the Quebec tourism industry.
Before the pandemic, this tax on lodging raised about 95 million dollars a year, but this amount has melted in the last two years.
“It’s for the sake of fairness. It is shocking for all the others who are doing their part and who are collecting this tax to contribute to tourism development, ”said Ms. Tremblay.
The chairman of the association’s board of directors, Dany Thibault, is also making scathing remarks about this new hotel player in the region.
“Club Med’s approach is a slap in the face to all hoteliers in Quebec. The tourist industry must mobilize to put an end to this circus, ”he says.
Misunderstanding at Club Med
At Club Med, they say they respect all the regulations that apply since the organization “sticks in every way to the definition of a holiday center”.
“In no case do we want to slip away. We don’t sell single rooms, we sell packages. However, the lodging tax applies to lodging only, ”explains the marketing director of the Canadian section of the company, Jérémie Hoff.
He gives the example of the Center de Villégiature Jouvence, near Mont Orford in the Eastern Townships, which offers the same type of service as the Club Med de Charlevoix and which is classified as a vacation center.
“We come to set up in the region with the aim of having a positive impact on the local economy, not to evade the laws of existence”, assures Mr. Hoff.