Like several other regions of the province, the business tourism sector in the Laurentians is having a good year, despite several major challenges. The region also has an ace up its sleeve; many companies now offer it as a recognition gift to their employees.
“We are seeing more and more people coming to spend the weekend with us as part of a recognition trip from their employer,” notes Michael Frezza, sales director for the Estérel Resort. Same observation at the Val-Morin Convent. Located directly on the lake and on the P’tit Train du Nord trail as well as the trails of the Val-Morin regional park, the place can be rented by individuals for two weeks per month. Surprisingly, it regularly happens that companies offer overnight stays to their staff. “We see that employees are more and more anxious. Those who come do so to take a break and relax. They come here to disconnect, to breathe, to see nature,” says Mylène Bouchard, director of operations at Couvent Val-Morin.
Gone are the days when meetings dragged on in a room and employees did not leave the workspace. This is at least another observation by Michael Frezza. “Social takes up more space. People want to get out of the meeting room. » He adds: “We notice that bookings for meetings are increasingly last minute, but the opposite is true for anything social. Christmas parties are booked well in advance. People want to have fun and socialize. »
Daniel Blier, general director of Tourisme Mont-Tremblant, also believes that corporate events in the Laurentians often combine meetings and team building. Activities that go off the beaten track are popular.
The wine tasting offer with an educational component is an example of an extraordinary activity which is also very successful at the Estérel Resort.
Another trend observed in the region is that groups often stay for shorter periods and are less large, but returns are more regular. “Our average was 45 people before the pandemic. Now, we are more around 25. However, we have more group rentals who want a duration of seven days and even groups in transformation mode who rent for three weeks in a row,” says Mylène Bouchard from Couvent Val-Morin .
For the Les Sommets Group, business tourism is currently limited to social and leisure activities that external companies wish to organize. During the pandemic, a drastic shutdown of its activities occurred. For the next season, the company wants to restore the service offering. “The need to come together is more present than ever and we are restarting the machine. Our objective is to reorganize ourselves well in order to receive corporate groups efficiently,” explains Christian Dufour, marketing director of Groupe Les Sommets.
