After decades of lean cows, the frequentation of Quebec’s religious heritage by tourists is growing, according to the Religious and Spiritual Tourism Association. And the arrival of Pope Francis should give a boost to this industry, whose supply is growing.
At Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours chapel in Old Montreal, a man quickly makes his sign of the cross as he watches the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, before turning his phone camera to the stained glass windows . On wooden benches, a couple meditates, eyes closed. To the left of the hotel is a statuette that belonged to Marguerite Bourgeoys when she founded the chapel in 1678.
Traffic is on the rise in the chapel and its adjacent museum, according to the general manager of the Marguerite-Bourgeoys Historic Site, Jean-François Royal. “For the first two weeks of July, we have already reached 16,000 visitors, compared to 12,000 in 2019,” he said.
Some of them make a pilgrimage to the tomb of the first Canadian saint, others want to know more about this important figure in the history of Montreal, still others simply wish to admire the architecture and the works of art.
“For two years, people have been going through a great ordeal and they want to recharge their batteries, to reflect. There are people who, even if they are not devout practitioners, will light a lantern,” adds Mr. Royal.
Several other tourist places of a religious nature make similar observations. Moreover, according to a survey conducted last March by Segma Research for the organization Éditions Attractions Québec, 30% of Quebecers intended to explore such a place this summer, which is twice as many as before the pandemic. .
The papal effect
Mr. Royal expects to receive an even greater influx of visitors this week and during the week following the Pope’s visit to Quebec. Same story on the side of Saint-Joseph’s Oratory.
“Visitors will arrive from all over Quebec, to go to Quebec. Generally, people stop at the Oratory,” says the sanctuary’s communications director, Céline Barbeau.
The Oratory will broadcast two Pope’s masses on live screens in the basilica, mobilize pastoral teams and offer a shuttle service to drive devotees to the entrance, to encourage them to take public transport.
“We already have a lot of questions about the Pope’s visit and the possibility of seeing him, which will be made available to them on the big screen at the Plains of Abraham,” said Martina de Vries, deputy director of the Center for animation François-De Laval, in Quebec.
Mme de Vries adds, however, that religious tourism is very lucrative for hotels and restaurants, but not necessarily for churches. “Out of a little over $280 per person per day spent, about $7 goes to the church visited,” says this former director of the Quebec Religious Heritage and Tourism Corporation.
So that he [le monastère] continues to live for years, the function could no longer be religious
A gain of notoriety
The co-owner of Cuivre d’art Albert Gilles, Palmyre Gilles, does not believe that she will benefit from increased traffic during the Pope’s visit to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, about ten kilometers from her workshop and her copper museum. pushed back. The reason: traffic will be blocked in the area, and attention will be directed exclusively to the pope.
“However, afterwards, it will be a superb notoriety for the region and for us, advertising and promotion on an international scale”, estimates Mme Gilles, whose company founded by his father decorated part of the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré basilica, like other local artisans.
This visibility, the Religious and Spiritual Tourism Association of Quebec (ATRSQ) hopes will generate benefits throughout the province, this summer and for years to come. “We are taking this opportunity to highlight our tourist sites,” says Sylviane Pilote, project manager at the ATRSQ.
It must be said that the Association, founded four years ago, makes a lot of efforts to promote religious heritage, in collaboration with Events Attractions Quebec (EAQ) and the Alliance of the tourist industry of Quebec. There are already more than 200 attractions of this nature in Quebec.
“Religious communities have been stakeholders in the construction of Quebec,” says the director general of the ATRSQ and from the EAQ, François-G. Goatherd. So it leaves a lot of traces, a built, artistic and cultural heritage. There was a period when we turned our backs on that in Quebec with the Quiet Revolution. But people are ready to reclaim this heritage designed to have a calming effect, to slow down the hectic pace of everyday life, without necessarily being devotional. »
new vocations
Several places of worship have already been made more accessible and attractive in recent years, whether through the addition of concerts, exhibitions or walking circuits bringing together several attractions.
“It continues to increase in the wake of churches abandoned by the faithful, to which we give a new vocation,” says Ms.me Pilot.
The Augustinian monastery in Quebec is one of the establishments that have become secular. Catholic prayers gave way to yoga, meditation, massage therapy and gastronomy. In 2015, the sisters donated the building, their archives and 50,000 historical artifacts to the population, some of which shine in a permanent exhibition.
“They accepted that the place become non-denominational. For him to continue to live for years, the function could no longer be religious, explains the director of communications, Caroline Maheu. But all of our programming is inspired by the Augustines. It should always be focused on well-being. »
The activities of the Monastery are experiencing an increase in popularity, says Ms.me Maheu.
The ATRSQ is convinced that, despite everything, there is still untapped potential in Quebec. This is why the organization has just published a guide aimed at helping those responsible for various places of worship to structure a tourist offer. It remains to be seen whether Quebecers will continue to open the doors of churches more and more often.