Hoteliers and their business tourism partners in Centre-du-Québec are unanimous, the business clientele sector is no longer the same since the pandemic. The challenges they face are multiple, but they find solutions and do not hesitate to invest.
Open since 1963, the Hotel and Suites Le Dauphin Drummondville has never renovated its kitchens. After an investment of $1 million, there are brand new facilities with the addition of a café area and a modern restaurant. A way to attract and retain kitchen staff, according to Étienne Aubin, director of revenue, sales and marketing. “We have also recruited from abroad to fill certain positions. Today, foreign labor makes up 15% of our staff. »
Due to inflation, the establishment had to increase its rates by between 15 and 20% for rooms and 10% for food service. A situation which has repercussions on the signing of contracts. “Companies absolutely want quotes, which wasn’t always the case before. » The establishment’s figures also confirm a drop in traffic of 20%. “We have not yet returned to the occupation of 2019, but we console ourselves by saying that we are not a unique case. »
Over the past five years, 7 million have been invested in the Best Western Hôtel Universel Drummondville to improve the meeting rooms and rooms. The Pacini restaurant is the latest to have undergone a facelift. And it’s not over, according to Catherine Laguë-Beaulieu, sales director, who indicates that other investments are on the menu. As for the volume of business tourism, it is at the same level as in 2019 and an increase is expected for next year.
However, the obstacles are numerous. The labor shortage and the staff turnover rate affect both establishments and event organizers. “Before, five or six people worked on organizing an event. Now companies have three or four people doing the same job. They do their best, but it affects us and we need to support them more,” notes the director. Another impact is that the number of participants fluctuates much more than before. “If there is a shortage of employees in a company, the participation rate will drop. We also see a lot of people deciding at the last minute. This requires great flexibility from us, but it is not always possible to respond to requests,” observes the specialist.
Julie Verreault, business and sports tourism advisor for Tourisme Drummondville, confirms this trend towards last minute reservations. “I get calls every week, like: I have a 1,200-person event coming up in six weeks, find me something. You have to do it at least a year and a half in advance. Without this, accommodation options and dates are certain to dwindle and clients will leave frustrated. »
For his part, for six months, Daniel Lagueux, sales director of the Centrexpo Cogeco in Drummondville, has observed that customers are back, but they are spending less. Fewer overnight stays, absence of dinner or cocktail parties, reluctance to sign contracts, businesses are reducing their expenses. “There’s no meat left around the bone. Companies are careful, comparing prices between different options. They are more thoughtful,” notes the sales director.
Centrexpo Cogeco staff are called upon to meet customer needs, but the company must also face its own challenges. The labor shortage forced it to resort to the services of foreign labor, not to mention the repercussions of inflation. “The increase is more marked in the audiovisual sector. We are talking about an increase of 30% in two years. »
