This text is part of the special Business Tourism section
Forty-five years after the creation of Groupe Voyages Québec by Paul Plourde, his son, Laurent, is celebrating his 13th year in the family business. Determined to take GVQ even further, the president is preparing to launch a brand new agency, in addition to continuing the development of GVQ’s various divisions, including those devoted to business tourism.
Laurent Plourde still remembers the pride he felt the day when, as a teenager, he landed his first student job at McDonald’s. For this son of an entrepreneur, it was an opportunity to prove that he could succeed without anyone’s help. “It was MY achievement,” he remembers. It was a bit of a way of emancipating myself. And above all, I had the McValeur card! » he says before bursting out laughing.
At the time, he imagined himself becoming an architect. He opted instead for a bachelor’s degree in business administration. During his studies, he held various small summer jobs at GVQ. “What I particularly liked was the human side. I felt the employees were happy. There was truly a beautiful spirit. »
When he was offered a paying job in Toronto at the end of his studies, he understood that he rather wanted to stay in the family business. “My father gave me a job at the bottom of the scale. I had to prove myself. I have a big age difference with him and I was very young at the time to enter the succession process, while he was already thinking about retirement. I arrived as a bit of a surprise. I am a creative. He couldn’t imagine me one day taking over his business. »
It is this same creative spirit that quickly made him stand out. “I was a bit of a black sheep at the beginning,” he says. The company’s sales director accepted me into her team. I started creating products. […] Thanks to her, I learned a lot. She gave me a lot of freedom. I proved myself and, a few years later, took charge of the marketing department. »
Aware of trends, it incorporates numerous technological innovations. “When I joined GVQ, the company was at a stage of maturity. […] We had to return to a mode of development. »
Before entrusting him with the reins of the company, Paul Plourde sold him 20% of his shares. “At that time, my father appointed four vice-presidents collectively. We had to work together to grow the company. »
When his son became executive vice-president, the founder of GVQ gradually retired. Officially president of GVQ since the end of 2016, Laurent Plourde maintains an excellent relationship with the latter. “It’s not all companies where the owners really trust their successors, that they give them the opportunity to make mistakes, to succeed, to have carte blanche. My dad literally gave me the keys to GVQ and said, “Go for it, it’s yours.” »
Renewing business tourism
Projects abound at GVQ. A new “ready to travel” agency, details of which will soon be revealed, will be launched by the end of the year. Keeping employees on the job even during the low point of the pandemic made it possible to “preserve our knowledge,” he says.
In addition to the numerous tours accompanied in French in Quebec and around the world and the network of travel agencies, GVQ offers numerous services to businesses. “We make travel booking easier, particularly through technology. Employees can, for example, book their stays themselves according to guidelines established by their employer or with one of our agents. »
“We also organize a lot of reconnaissance trips and trips for companies who wish to visit particular places, for example, in the field of agriculture,” he continues. There are also reward trips for large companies. The offer is vast. »
After winning the tender to manage the accommodation of COP15 participants in Montreal in 2022, GVQ is working on the same mandate for COP16, which will take place in Cali, Colombia, from October 21 to 1er November 2024.
The conference and events sector is also booming. “Right now, there are great opportunities in Quebec for business tourism,” he believes. The trend of bleisure — portmanteau word composed of business And leisure — doesn’t seem about to run out of steam. “We can combine a visit to a conference or an event with a tourist stay. For example, someone might arrive three days before a business trip or stay three days afterward. We can offer them a turnkey service. »
One thing is certain, Laurent Plourde does not regret having chosen GVQ at the start of his career. “Today we have a turnover three times higher than in 2016, the year I took over as president. The challenge is not to stagnate and to continue to grow harmoniously. »
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Dutyrelating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.