France Joins Germany, United Kingdom and More European Nations in Accelerating New Canada Tourism Visitor Arrival to Quebec in 2026

Image Credit: Destination Québec

France joins Germany, the UK and Belgium in accelerating Canada visitor expansion through Quebec, where international travel is gaining pace. In the first quarter of 2026, Quebec welcomed 266,000 visitors from countries outside the United States, up 8.6% from a year earlier. Their spending rose 17.2% to C$267.2 million. These figures do not give separate 2026 Quebec totals for each European country. However, they show a clear rise in overseas demand. France remains Quebec’s largest overseas market in official profiles. Germany, the UK and Belgium add different strengths, from city breaks and heritage trips to outdoor travel and longer stays. Meanwhile, new direct flights from Europe make Quebec easier to reach. This improves choice for travellers and supports hotels, restaurants, attractions and regional businesses. As a result, Quebec is strengthening its role in Canada’s visitor economy while extending tourism benefits beyond its busiest summer period and encouraging autumn travel across regions.

Europe supports Québec’s long-haul travel appeal

European visitors are a key part of this story. Québec has deep cultural ties with Europe. Its French language, historic streets, food, forests and four-season travel offer give the province a clear place in the long-haul market. Visitors from Europe often stay for longer trips. They also tend to travel across more than one region.
However, Québec has not yet published a separate 2026 visitor count for each European country. Statistics Canada currently groups Québec’s visitors into United States residents and residents of all other countries in the latest provincial quarterly data. This means it is not accurate to claim that France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands or Italy each delivered a specific number of visitors to Québec in 2026.
The official data does show that overseas travel is rising. This group includes Europe as well as other international markets. The 8.6% increase in overseas visits and the 17.2% leap in spending are the strongest confirmed figures for Québec in early 2026.

France

France remains Québec’s most important European tourism market. The shared French language creates an easy and welcoming link for visitors. It helps travellers feel close to local culture while enjoying a very different North American experience. French visitors often choose Montréal for its food, festivals, museums and lively streets. They also travel to Québec City for heritage, winter scenes and historic charm. Many continue to regions such as Saguenay, Mauricie and Manicouagan. Québec’s official market profile records 396,400 French tourists, 5.4 million overnight stays and C$609.3 million in spending in its profile data. Their average stay was 13.5 days, showing the market’s strong value.
France also remains important in Canada’s 2026 travel picture. French residents made 94,000 trips to Canada in the first quarter. This placed France among the leading overseas markets. Nationally, arrivals from France rose 1.8% from June to July on a seasonally adjusted basis. This is a Canada-wide figure, not a Québec-only result. Still, it shows that French interest in Canada remains steady.
Québec has not released a separate French visitor total for 2026. The province’s official first-quarter data groups France with other countries outside the United States. Yet this group grew strongly. Québec welcomed 266,000 overseas visitors, up 8.6%, and their spending rose 17.2% to C$267.2 million. France is likely to remain a major force behind Québec’s European travel appeal because it brings long stays, cultural interest and spending across many regions.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom remains one of Québec’s most valuable European tourism markets. British travellers are drawn to Montréal’s culture, music, food and major events. They also enjoy Québec City’s old streets, winter atmosphere and heritage experiences. Many visitors combine urban travel with nature, adding the Laurentians, Charlevoix or other scenic regions to their plans. The British market supports leisure travel, business events, family visits and longer multi-stop holidays.
Québec’s official market profile recorded 116,100 British tourists, 878,700 overnight stays and C$117.5 million in visitor spending in its profile year. The average stay was 7.6 days. The United Kingdom was also identified as Québec’s fifth-largest international tourism market. This shows that it is not only a large market for Canada. It also has a clear role in Québec’s visitor economy. Direct links between London and Montréal make the province more accessible for British holidaymakers.
The UK led Canada’s overseas travel markets in the first quarter of 2026. British residents made 108,000 trips to Canada during the period. National arrivals from the UK also rose 5.4% from June to July, on a seasonally adjusted basis. This is not a separate Québec number, and Québec has not published a UK-specific total for 2026. However, Québec’s wider overseas visitor group rose 8.6% in the first quarter. The UK’s size, air access and interest in city, culture and nature breaks make it a vital market for Québec’s travel growth.

Germany

Germany offers Québec a strong mix of outdoor travel, culture and longer journeys. German visitors often look for wide open spaces, forests, wildlife, cruises and scenic road trips. Québec can meet these needs through its national parks, river landscapes, northern routes and regional towns. Montréal and Québec City also add history, food and urban culture to a journey that may begin with nature. This makes Germany a useful market for travel beyond the main cities.
Québec’s official profile recorded 85,141 German tourists, 764,222 overnight stays and C$90 million in visitor spending in 2019. The average stay was nine days. German visitors were especially likely to visit Montréal and Québec City, while some also explored Gaspésie, Manicouagan and the Laurentians. Germany is a priority market for Destination Canada and a secondary market for Québec. That status reflects its potential for high-quality, long-haul tourism.
Germany delivered the clearest recent European growth signal in Canada’s latest monthly data. German arrivals to Canada rose 6.6% from June to July 2026, on a seasonally adjusted basis. This monthly figure is national and cannot be treated as Québec-only growth. Québec has not released a 2026 German visitor count. Yet its total overseas segment performed well, with visits up 8.6% and spending up 17.2% in the first quarter. German interest in nature, culture and self-drive touring gives Québec a strong reason to keep building this market.

Belgium

Belgium has a smaller visitor base than France or the United Kingdom, but it gives Québec an important European opportunity. French-speaking Belgians have a natural connection with Québec through language and culture. This can make the province easier to understand and more attractive for first-time long-haul travellers. Belgian visitors can enjoy city breaks in Montréal and Québec City, then add local food, scenic drives and regional culture. The market is particularly useful for travel that combines heritage with nature.
Québec’s official market profile recorded 45,000 Belgian tourists, 410,000 overnight stays and C$46.8 million in visitor spending in its profile year. Belgian visitors stayed for an average of 8.9 days. More than half travelled between July and September. This seasonality creates opportunities for summer events, outdoor activities, road trips and regional tourism. Canada ranked third among Belgian long-haul destinations in the profile data, behind the United States and Thailand. That shows the country already has a place in Belgian travel choices.
Québec has not published a separate Belgian visitor total for 2026. Belgium is included within Québec’s wider group of visitors from countries outside the United States. That group reached 266,000 visitors in the first quarter, up 8.6% year on year. Their spending increased 17.2% to C$267.2 million. Belgium’s own 2026 Québec growth rate is not available. Still, the market has clear value because of its cultural ties, long stays and interest in road travel, landscapes and local experiences. It can support travel well beyond the province’s major gateway cities.

Switzerland

Switzerland is a smaller but high-value market for Québec tourism. Swiss visitors often have strong spending power and look for quality experiences. Québec can attract them with culture, fine food, outdoor activities and beautiful landscapes. The province also has an advantage in French-speaking Switzerland, where language creates a natural link. Montréal offers a lively city break, while Québec City, the Laurentians and Saguenay offer history, scenery and seasonal travel.
Québec’s official market profile recorded 53,000 Swiss tourists and C$65.3 million in visitor spending in its profile year. Swiss visitors spent an average of C$1,232 per stay. This makes Switzerland important not only for visitor numbers but also for tourism value. The average stay was 9.2 days. The profile also showed that Canada ranked third among Swiss long-haul destinations, behind the United States and Thailand. Québec therefore has a strong chance to win travellers who want a mix of nature and culture.
There is no separate 2026 Québec visitor count for Switzerland. It is included in the broader overseas category in official provincial data. In the first quarter, this category grew by 8.6% to 266,000 visitors. Spending from these visitors rose 17.2%. Switzerland’s individual share is not yet public. However, its high spending level and interest in quality travel make it a useful market for Québec. It can support premium stays, small-group journeys, food tourism, scenic touring and travel outside the peak summer months.

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a smaller European market, but it fits Québec’s outdoor tourism strengths very well. Dutch travellers are known for their interest in scenery, camping, self-drive holidays and cultural discovery. Québec offers all these experiences in one journey. Visitors can explore Montréal and Québec City, then move into national parks, forests, lakes and coastal landscapes. This makes the province suitable for longer trips that spread benefits into local communities.
Québec’s official profile recorded 21,000 Dutch tourists, 130,000 overnight stays and C$15.6 million in spending in its profile year. Dutch visitors stayed for an average of 6.2 days. More than half travelled between July and September. The market has a strong interest in nature and independent travel. The Netherlands also has one of Europe’s highest rates of holiday travel. This gives Québec a useful opportunity to promote road trips, camping, local food and outdoor activities.
Québec has not released a 2026 visitor number for the Netherlands. Dutch visitors are counted in the province’s wider overseas group. That group reached 266,000 visitors in the first quarter of 2026, an 8.6% rise from the previous year. Spending from overseas visitors climbed 17.2% to C$267.2 million. The Netherlands cannot be given its own 2026 Québec growth rate yet. Even so, the market remains promising. Dutch visitors can help Québec grow travel in rural areas, extend stays through self-drive routes and support summer tourism across the province.

Italy

Italy is an increasingly interesting market for Québec. Italian travellers often value food, culture, history and scenic travel. Québec can offer all these experiences through Montréal’s dining and arts scene, Québec City’s heritage and the province’s wide natural spaces. Visitors can combine famous city attractions with river journeys, countryside drives and seasonal outdoor activities. This makes Québec a strong alternative for travellers seeking a longer and more varied Canadian trip.
Italy produced a notable result for Québec in 2025. Visitor spending from Italy rose by 11% compared with the previous year. This was one of the fastest increases among the individual international markets named in Québec’s official tourism results. The figure shows that Italian travellers were already becoming more valuable to the province before the 2026 season developed. Italy is not included in Québec’s core published European market-profile list, but its spending growth makes it a market worth watching.
Québec has not yet published a separate 2026 visitor total or growth rate for Italy. Italian visitors are included in the wider overseas visitor category. That group rose 8.6% to 266,000 visitors in the first quarter, while spending increased 17.2% to C$267.2 million. These figures cannot be used as Italy-only results. Yet they show a favourable setting for international travel growth. Italy’s 2025 spending gain, combined with Québec’s strong early overseas performance, suggests that the market could remain important for cultural, food-led and multi-region travel in 2026.

Canada’s Québec Opens Seven New Europe Flight Routes in 2026 as Travel Links Expand

Québec is strengthening its place on Europe’s long-haul travel map in 2026. Seven new nonstop routes now connect the province directly with Italy, Spain, Germany, France and Iceland. The new services link Montréal and Québec City with important European cities and leisure destinations. They also give European travellers more ways to reach Québec without changing planes in another Canadian or US city.
The expansion comes as international travel continues to build in Québec. In the first quarter of 2026, the province welcomed 266,000 visitors from countries outside the United States. This was an 8.6% rise from the same period in 2025. Their spending increased by 17.2% to C$267.2 million. The new flights can support this growth by bringing travellers directly into Québec’s two main international gateways.

New Europe–Québec routes in 2026

France gains the biggest share of new access

France is the biggest winner in the 2026 route expansion. Three new nonstop links connect French cities with Québec. Air Canada began Montréal–Nantes flights three times a week in June. The route creates a direct link between Québec and the Loire Valley. Nantes gives travellers access to western France, the Atlantic coast and a large regional market beyond Paris.
Air Transat has added two new services from Québec City. The new Marseille route operates once a week through early October. It brings Provence and the French Mediterranean closer to Québec City. The new Nantes route also runs once a week through October. It will return during the holiday period from late December 2026 to mid-January 2027.
These routes matter because France is Québec’s leading overseas tourism market. French travellers share a language connection with the province. They are also drawn to Québec’s culture, heritage, food and nature. Direct flights to Québec City can help visitors begin their trip in the provincial capital instead of arriving in Montréal and taking a second journey. This may encourage longer stays in Québec City, Charlevoix, the Bas-Saint-Laurent and other nearby regions.
Québec City Airport has said that direct Paris flights generated C$33 million in tourism spending in the region in 2025. The Marseille and Nantes services can add to this economic effect. They also give Québec residents more direct choices when travelling to France.

Italy receives a direct Sicily connection

Air Canada has launched a new Montréal–Catania route for summer 2026. The service operates three times a week until late October. It is the only scheduled direct connection between Canada and Sicily. This gives travellers from eastern Sicily and southern Italy a direct way to reach Québec.
Catania is a major gateway for Sicily. It serves a region known for Mount Etna, coastal towns, food, history and family connections abroad. The route may appeal to people visiting relatives, holidaymakers and travellers interested in multi-stop Canadian trips. Once in Montréal, passengers can connect onwards across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America.
For Québec, the route opens a new source of European visitors. Italian travellers may be attracted by Montréal’s Italian communities, strong food culture, festivals and urban life. They can also combine Montréal with Québec City and nature-based regions. The new link is important because Italy showed strong tourism spending growth in Québec in 2025. Italian visitor spending rose 11% that year, showing that the market has growing value.

Spain gains a direct route to Mallorca

The Montréal–Palma de Mallorca service is another major development. Air Canada operates the route four times a week from mid-June to late October. It is the airline’s first direct route from Canada to Mallorca. The service uses the Airbus A321XLR, a new long-range aircraft designed to make thinner long-haul routes possible.
Mallorca is one of Spain’s most popular leisure destinations. The direct link gives Québec travellers easy access to the Balearic Islands. It also gives Spanish visitors a direct route into Montréal. They can then explore Québec’s cities, countryside, national parks and northern landscapes.
The Mallorca route shows a change in air travel strategy. Airlines can now use smaller, modern aircraft to connect cities that may not need daily wide-body flights. This can help routes grow step by step. For Québec tourism, it means that more European markets may become reachable through nonstop services in future years.

Berlin creates a new German gateway

Air Canada launched a direct Montréal–Berlin route in July. The service operates three times a week during the summer season. Berlin is Germany’s capital and a major centre for culture, business, technology and international travel. The route gives German travellers a direct way to reach Montréal and Québec without changing planes in another European city or Canadian hub.
The service is important for a market that likes outdoor travel, road trips, wildlife and cultural discovery. German visitors can begin in Montréal, then travel to Québec City, the Laurentians, Gaspésie, Saguenay or other scenic areas. The route also supports business links and meetings between Germany and Québec.
Berlin Airport described the service as a new long-haul connection for the German capital region. It also marks the first regular Airbus A321XLR service from Germany. The aircraft’s range and smaller size make new city pairs easier to operate. This could support more direct links between Québec and Europe in the years ahead.

Iceland adds a northern travel bridge

Air Transat’s new Montréal–Reykjavík route began in June with two weekly flights. Iceland is a natural addition to Québec’s European network. Both places are known for dramatic landscapes, outdoor experiences and four-season travel. The route may attract Icelandic visitors seeking a different North American adventure, while giving Québec travellers a direct path to the North Atlantic.
Reykjavík can also offer useful onward travel options through Iceland’s international aviation network. The service strengthens Montréal’s role as a long-haul gateway. It also adds another choice for travellers who want to avoid a connection through larger North American airports.

More capacity beyond the new routes

Several existing Europe–Québec services are also gaining strength in 2026. Air Transat is making Montréal–Barcelona a year-round route from late October. Québec City–Paris will operate up to six times a week at peak summer. Air Canada is also using its new Airbus A321XLR on the existing Montréal–Toulouse and Montréal–Edinburgh routes.
The wider message is clear. Québec is becoming easier to reach from more parts of Europe. France remains the strongest market, but Italy, Spain, Germany and Iceland now have new direct paths to the province. These flights can bring visitors, support trade and create new travel choices for Québec residents. If demand stays strong, the 2026 summer schedule could become a platform for further European growth in the years ahead.

Source: Official airport passenger statistics

Canada’s Québec Shapes a Powerful Halloween Tourism Season With Haunted History and Autumn Events

Québec is ready to turn its autumn colours, old streets and deep history into a major Halloween tourism draw in 2026. The province offers far more than one night of costumes and sweets. Its programme starts in late September and continues into November. It includes ghost walks, haunted villages, family gardens, horror cinema, historic sites, night cruises, music events and autumn road trips.
Québec has a strong tourism base for this seasonal push. The province welcomed 63.3 million visitors in 2025. It generated C$18.9 billion in tourism revenue. Halloween gives travellers another reason to visit outside the busy summer months. It also encourages visitors to stay longer, explore smaller places and spend in local hotels, restaurants, museums and attractions.
Montréal, Québec City, Drummondville, Trois-Rivières and Tremblant lead the 2026 Halloween offer. Each destination has a different mood. Montréal brings urban energy and nightlife. Québec City uses its historic setting. Drummondville offers intense scares. Trois-Rivières adds family culture. Tremblant pairs Halloween with mountain scenery and autumn colours.

Québec Halloween events in 2026

Montréal delivers a full Halloween city break

Montréal has the widest choice of Halloween experiences in Québec. It can attract families by day and adult travellers after dark. The city also has strong hotel, restaurant and transport choices. This makes it easy for visitors to build a long weekend around Halloween events.
The biggest family attraction is Lune Noire at Parc Jean-Drapeau. It runs from 9 to 31 October. The event turns the Floralies Gardens and nearby canals into a Halloween world. Families can walk through the decorations and installations during the day. On selected evenings, the ticketed La Noce des Canaux experience takes visitors on pontoon boats. Guests follow supernatural clues and search for six relics along the water.
The Jardin botanique adds another major family event through Halloween Shivers. Visitors can enjoy live performers, special scenes in the gardens and activities inside the Main Greenhouse. This is a softer Halloween choice. It works well for children who want costumes, pumpkins and stories without intense scares.
Montréal also gives Halloween a cultural and international feel. Festival SPASM runs from 21 to 31 October. It brings horror, cult and unusual cinema to the city. It is a natural choice for film fans. Manalli Día de Muertos runs from 31 October to 2 November. It gives visitors a chance to see colourful remembrance altars and enjoy activities inspired by Mexican Day of the Dead traditions.
For adult nightlife, the Société des arts technologiques hosts Halloween events on 30 and 31 October. Music, DJs, electronic sounds and immersive visuals make it a strong option for travellers looking for a late-night city experience. La Ronde also adds its Fright Fest programme, mixing rides, costumed performers and haunted attractions.

Québec City makes history feel alive

Québec City has a very different Halloween identity. Its old stone buildings, fortified walls and cobbled streets make the city feel naturally theatrical after dark. Visitors can pair Halloween events with heritage hotels, French-influenced food and Old Québec walks.
The central event is Halloween on the Plains of Abraham. It runs from 29 September to 8 November. This is one of the longest Halloween programmes in Québec. It goes well beyond the night of 31 October. The event mixes fun with the darker side of the site’s history. Families can enjoy treasure hunts and garden activities. Teenagers and adults can choose more intense experiences.
The programme includes a costumed interactive walk called Marche macabre. It also includes historic ghost stories, a Halloween garden, birds-of-prey demonstrations and activities at the Martello towers. Some events are designed for visitors aged 13 and over. Others are for adults only. This gives the Plains of Abraham a wide audience and helps visitors choose the right level of fright.
L’Étrange Carnaval adds a free family event from 23 to 25 October. The Jardins de l’Hôtel-de-Ville become a strange old-fashioned fair. Visitors can see large decorations, enjoy retro-style games and watch mysterious shows. It is a good choice for families staying in Old Québec.
Ghost tours make the city even stronger after sunset. Costumed guides lead visitors through stories of crimes, arrests, executions and unexplained sightings from Québec’s past. These walks give international travellers a simple way to connect Halloween with the city’s 400 years of history.

Drummondville offers Québec’s biggest scare factor

Drummondville gives Québec a major haunted attraction outside the large cities. Village Québécois d’Antan turns its historic site into the Village hanté. The event begins on 25 September and runs on selected evenings through 31 October. It is designed for visitors who want an intense, immersive experience.
The site uses heritage buildings, actors, special scenes and dark pathways to create a long haunted journey. It is best suited to teenagers and adults. This makes Drummondville a strong stop for friends, couples and horror fans on a road trip between Montréal and Québec City.
Families can visit the same destination during the day through Village des petits monstres. It runs on weekends from 3 to 25 October. Children can enjoy a lighter Halloween world with characters, seasonal colours and family activities. The two programmes let the destination serve both gentle and intense Halloween travel.

Mauricie and Tremblant widen the autumn journey

Mauricie offers good reasons to extend a Québec Halloween trip. In Trois-Rivières, Circus Papyrus runs at Boréalis from 24 October to 1 November. The museum becomes a Halloween carnival with games, challenges and characters for families. Festival Nöktanbul in Batiscan runs from 23 to 25 October. It focuses on fantasy, mystery and strange autumn evenings.
Tremblant adds a mountain setting to the season. Halloween in Tremblant takes place on 31 October. Families can combine the event with fall colours, outdoor activities, village dining and resort accommodation. It is a simple choice for travellers who want Halloween without leaving nature behind.

Québec can turn Halloween into a longer travel season

Québec’s Halloween strength comes from variety. Montréal gives visitors a lively city break. Québec City makes history central to the experience. Drummondville delivers serious scares. Mauricie and Tremblant add regional discovery and autumn landscapes.
The season also arrives at the right time. It encourages visitors to travel when forests are colourful and attractions are less crowded than in peak summer. With events running from late September to early November, Québec can offer more than a single Halloween weekend. It can offer a full autumn journey built around culture, history, food, family time and carefully planned fright.

Québec’s 2026 tourism outlook is strong, supported by rising overseas travel, new direct European air links and a broad autumn events calendar. In the first quarter, Québec welcomed 266,000 visitors from countries outside the United States, an 8.6% increase year on year, while their spending rose 17.2% to C$267.2 million. France, the United Kingdom and Germany remain vital European markets, though country-specific 2026 Québec arrival totals are not yet public. New flights from France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Iceland improve access. Halloween events in Montréal, Québec City, Drummondville and Mauricie add a compelling reason for visitors to extend their autumn stays.