Sustainable tourism is an integral part of the mission and vision of Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine, which has always been innovative in this regard. The adoption of the sustainable tourism strategy by our destination, a first in Québec, and the awareness and protection “I Care for Les Îles” campaigns about the fragility of the archipelago are a few examples of this commitment.

This strategy, adopted by all tourism stakeholders in the archipelago, recommends protecting, managing, and developing the territory using various tools from the Municipality's land use plan. These tools include the creation of regional and marine parks, as well as the protection of landscapes.

The strategy also prioritizes quality of life for residents. It aims to maintain a harmonious visitor-resident relationship, alleviate the local fiscal burden, while funding essential tourism infrastructure for a quality experience, and reducing environmental pressure. The Regional Tourism Association (ATR) remains ever-focused on these measures .

As part of this vision, Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine has always supported the creation of a sustainable territory management fund and the establishment of a funding procedure adapted to the island environment. This procedure should provide visitors with opportunities to contribute advantageously, along with the most consensual way of exempting residents.

It is important to note that the choice of this procedure as well as its implementation and application on the territory remain solely and entirely the responsibility of the Municipality, which holds all the power and areas of expertise in this matter.

The ATR and all socio-economic organizations of the archipelago remain essential partners who must ensure the destination has the necessary tools to maintain tourism as an economic pillar and source of enrichment for the community.

The ATR is tasked with facilitating the visitor's journey once they arrive at the destination. To this end, it must disseminate, through its communication tools, information on the obligations and regulations implemented by the Municipality that must be respected by both visitors and residents. Various studies indicate that, regardless of the retention formula (tax, fee, etc.), the latter has only a marginal impact on the traffic to destinations where they have been implemented.

Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine remains hopeful that a sustainable territory management fund will be established quickly and that the Municipality will find a procedure allowing visitors to contribute while consensually exempting residents.

This fund should be seen as an investment for future years and generations, a development tool for sustainable tourism, so that Îles de la Madeleine remain one of Québec's treasures.

The Board of Directors
Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine