Porter Airlines has announced the return of its winter flights to Mont-Tremblant, starting December 17th. This news marks a step towards a return to normal for the tourism industry.
“I’m very proud, because Porter hasn’t resumed all of his seasonal flights. We are its very first tourist destination to resume service, ”says Isabel Proulx, general manager of Mont-Tremblant International Airport, located in La Macaza.
Thus, Mont-Tremblant passes in front of Muskoka (Ontario), Myrtle Beach (South Carolina) and Stephenville (Newfoundland and Labrador). And it is the many requests from users, both on the side of Porter and its airport, which motivated this decision, she underlines.
Isabel Proulx details the impact of this announcement on the potential of visitors to the region. Between December 17 and March 28, 2022, 47 flights from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport will be expected at La Macaza. These aircraft have 78 seats each. Travelers mainly head to Station Mont Tremblant, located about 35 km away. The CEO recalls that before the pandemic, about a quarter of those travelers were Americans. On the eve of the return of these domestic flights, the general manager does not know what to expect.
Full throttle
As for the Tremblant Resort Association (AVT), we are delighted with the return of this air option for Ontarians. At the same time, Pierre-Alexandre Legault, head of press relations and communications, recognizes that the Station is already operating at full speed with regard to its accommodation and catering offer. “And it’s a privilege: the resort is very busy, and a more normal winter, with good traffic, is expected,” he says.
“From a tourism point of view, we are pleased with this news, as the Ontario market is our second largest,” said Daniel Blier, General Manager of Tourisme Mont-Tremblant. According to him, if Porter fills his flights to half their capacity, we are talking about 1,500 travelers. Even small, this number represents a lucrative clientele.
“Those tourists who arrive by plane will spend more than those who travel by land. They will go to the hotel, to the restaurant, to the shops. In short, it is a lucrative clientele in terms of tourism revenue and that we would not have had otherwise, because the people of Toronto are less likely to take their cars in winter to come and see us, ”concludes Daniel Blier.
Isabel Proulx does not know Air Canada’s intentions regarding a possible return of its services – domestic and international – to La Macaza. Currently, apart from private domestic and Porter’s scheduled flights from Toronto, no further flights are expected. Mont-Tremblant International Airport is still far from its usual 20,000 winter seats.
In addition, the Director General deplores not being able to receive international private flights: “We still have not found our customs despite sustained efforts. There is no eavesdropping on the part of the federal government, ”she says.