Carnival: $ 31 million in benefits

(Quebec) While people are enjoying themselves and that small marvel at the floats as colorful as bright, everyone thinks the party. And yet the Quebec Winter Carnival, which has just begun, has a significant economic impact in the region not only during the days of Carnival activities, but throughout the year.
Last year, the Carnival has created a value-added (GDP) of $ 31 million and supported about 630 jobs, said Jean Pelletier, Director General of the Quebec Winter Carnival. These are the nights in hotels, meals in restaurants for tourists who make up half of the 750,000 visitors last year. The other half are the citizens of the greater Quebec City area participating in the activities.
For the president of Carnival 2011, Jean-François Côté, the effect in the restaurants and hotels is undeniable. Owned restaurants and hotels in Old Quebec on Grande Allée, he could see over time how the Carnival attracted tourists. More importantly, companies hold their convention in Quebec City during Carnaval precisely to enjoy Quebec's winter festival.
Renewed for the economy
Originally, the festival was created by the Quebec Chamber of Commerce to bring renewed economic activity in a slump. This is still true 57 years later.
With a budget of $ 10 million, of which 30% comes from grants, but 70% flow, the Carnival maintains about 45 people at its year-round employment in the administration and creation with artists and people craft capable of creating magical scenery, not only for the Carnival, but for other events in Quebec or Montreal. "This is how we keep our experts and their expertise," added Mr. Pelletier.
These days, the organization has over 130 employees and over 1500 volunteers. Excluding suppliers of all materials, Quebec or elsewhere, business services for sound, electricity, scenes, security. And there is every employee support services for the City of Quebec, whether police, firefighters, public works people who put their hands in the dough for the shows, among others.
"Our relationship with our suppliers and support of business people, this is ever a year to year, said Mr. Pelletier. It is a relationship to maintain the knowledge that everyone benefits from each other. Human resources and our partnerships are the key to the success of Carnival, year after year. "
And development continues with the partnership arrangements in a coalition with the Nordic events winter festivals in South Korea and China for sharing of expertise and knowledge. Moreover, representatives of the Quebec Winter Carnival was in South Korea in early January and the Koreans will be in Quebec City during the coming days. The impact and benefits are in a long-term, but the carnival has started.
And Quebec itself, the street will Joly starts from April to September with the construction of a new building of 55,000 square feet that will allow Carnival to increase its production capacity by 30%.