Laval was visited by 1.4 million tourists in 2022; they spent just over $104 million there. With persistent inflation and the economic slowdown, how do companies in the sector intend to maintain their dynamism? Response elements.
Reopened since the end of January, the Armand-Frappier Health Museum has not yet regained its pre-pandemic visitor rate, but the museum establishment is sparing no effort to regain its dynamism. First step, create a scientific museum center. “We teamed up with the Cosmodôme to create packages with the idea of showing visitors the infinitely large and the infinitely small,” underlines the museum’s director, Guylaine Archambault.
Faced with the decline in government support, the establishment is also in alliance mode with 12 other scientific museums, in order to make them more visible to the public.
“The project is in its early stages, but the objective is to organize ourselves to better promote ourselves. » At the same time, since last spring, the museum has launched its YouTube channel with Microdose de sciences, capsules which offer scientific facts linked to current events and programming.
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The Armand-Frappier Museum, in Laval, has made its exhibitions as fun as possible.
In terms of exhibitions, everything has been put in place to make the place as fun as possible. The permanent exhibition 4, 3, 2, 1 Cheers! addresses major health issues in an interactive way, and the temporary exhibition Eat ! The exhibition that nourishes addresses the pleasure of eating.
When the weather plays tricks
Laval also has a varied offering of indoor options. “This is one of our strengths. We have a range of diverse indoor activities, each as original as the next,” comments Andrée-Anne Proulx, director of sales and marketing at Tourisme Laval. Escape games (Escaparium, Immersia, Cube Secret), flight simulator (Aerosim Expérience), climbing (Escalade Clip’n climb), trampoline (iSaute), hockey matches (Place Bell), fairy lights (Illumi) and even curling are just some of the choices. “Inflation has not slowed down traffic since for around ten priced attractions, there was an increase of 57.8%,” notes the sales director.
Millions of investments
Laval is a preferred destination for business tourism. One in two visitors go there for work. Last year alone, 136 events generating 40 nights or more were held in Laval hotels. Hotel investments have also multiplied over the last three years. The Grand Times Hôtel Laval opened in June 2021. Investment of 36 million and addition of 143 rooms. As for the Sheraton Laval – Convention Center, work was completed last April at a cost of 20 million for an addition of 30% in surface area. The latest, the new Résidence Inn Laval by Marriott opened last October. Another 188-room hotel is planned, the Marriott Courtyard – Espace Montmorency. Its opening is scheduled for February 2024 for an investment of 45 million.