Quebec’s Magdalen Islands Introduces $30 Visitor’s Fee

The popular Quebec tourist destination Îles-de-la-Madeleine (Magdalen Islands) is introducing a $30 (CAD) visitor’s fee next month.

From May 1 to Oct. 14, any international or domestic travelers staying on the islands for more than 24 hours will need to pay for a Passe Archipel. The fee does not apply to island residents, or travelers aged 12 or under.  The cost for families (up to two adults and five children) is capped at $100 (CAD).

Those who skip paying the mandatory fee risk a $1,000 (CAD) fine.

Approximately 13,000 residents live in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine municipality. During the summer months, tens of thousands of travelers visit this small archipelago northeast of Prince Edward Island to enjoy its unique beaches, sandstone cliffs, and views of the sea. 

This influx of people puts a strain on infrastructure, said Îles-de-la-Madeleine Mayor Antonin Valiquette. 

“If you think the Îles-de-la-Madeleine are beautiful, are magnificent, and that’s why you come to see them, then we have to ask you to contribute a little to preserving this quality of life and this quality of tourist destination,” said Valiquette (via Toronto Star).

The new fee is estimated to generate $1 million (CAD) this year alone, which would be used towards preservation efforts.

The Passe Archipel is the first fee of its kind in Quebec, Canada, but other similar programs exist around the world. 

Last week, the City of Venice launched a new 5-euro ($7.30 CAD) day trip fee, which is aimed at reducing tourists during peak days. In this instance, the main concern is crowding: the Italian lagoon city sees as many as 30,000 to 40,000 tourists per day (via AP).  

“We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents,’’ said Simone Venturini, the city’s top tourism official. “We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days.”