$100-million boost to bring cruises to Quebec

QUEBEC CITY - The Federal and Provincial governments are investing nearly $100-million to develop and promote the province's "extraordinary destinations" for cruise ships, says Quebec's Economic Development and Tourism Minister Raymond Bachand.

By developing local projects in areas including Baie-Comeau; Gaspe; the Magdalene Islands; Havre-St-Pierre; Saguenay and Sept-Iles, the Minister says the government hopes to boost the number of travellers on cruise ships visiting the province from 110,000 to 400,000 within 5 years.

The industry is expected to bring in up to $275-million dollars a year.

Bachand says the investments will also help attract ships to Montreal, since companies want many stops for their ships on the way to Montreal, or Quebec City.

"They don't earn money if they stay at sea," says Bachand.

The Minister says cruise ships are the fastest growing part of the province's tourism industry.

The reasons are simple, says Port of Quebec President Ross Gaudreault.

"We have one of the best products in the world, in the St-Lawrence River, and all of the ports of call... it is really unique."