City of Montréal Encourages Mediocre Hospitality Towards Tourists

Montréal, November 1st, 1994 — Montréal’s administration is prepared to sacrifice thirty years of tradition in tourist hospitality towards visitors by abolishing the municipal by-law (G-2) by the end of 1994. The Association professionnelle des guides touristiques (APGT), advocates that Municipal by-law G-2 be retained in order to ensure that the high quality of personalized services be offered by the city’s Tour Guides.

According to Jean-François Perrier, the president of the APGT, “the competance recognised by Montréal tour guides and the jobs created locally, are the arguments used in favour of this by-law that specifies that it is illegal to conduct a city tour without holding a municipal permit”. This permit is given only to persons who have completed a 240 hour Montréal tour guide course (given in a six month period).

The APGT deeply regrets that the City cares so very little about the image of Montréal towards the visitors and tourist that come to the city. Since the first by-law introduced in 1960, that obliges city of Montreal tours guides to be in pocession of a permit, it was than revised in 1984, the City assured the quality of services rendered by Montréal tour guides, ambassadors, and economic multipliers. Montreal tour guides make up part of an important infrastructure in the tourism and hospitality industry that is unequalled.

At a moment when enormous sums are being poured into tourism, into publicity and promotion, here and abroad, isnt’t it ridiculous to sabotage their on efforts for people who will not be able to present Montreal, its population in a proper and accurate fashion? Why then should we encourage mediocracy when we already have a system which is professional and of high quality ?

In effect by abolishing the by-law, The City opens its doors wide open to “illegal” guides who incorrectly inform the visitors and tourist in a matter of fact way about our city, its services, and the population. The “illegal” guides can not adequately present the correct image of Montréal.

These “illegal” guides have been reported to reinvent the city’s image telling visitors that Montréal is not an island, that Mount Royal is an active volcano, that St. Helen’s Island is actually the Anticosti Island, that Old Montréal is one of most dangerous neighbourhoods in North America and that Montrealers are described as a population that doesn’t speak English to tourists. Toursists risk spending most of their free not discovering the city but instead, in boutiques where “illegal guides” bring them to make commissions that would profit nobody but these « illegal guides ».

Influenced by a few tour operators from Ontario who have themselves decided to contradict the by-law since 1991, who have themselves received fines and warnings, the city of Montréal has decided that the by-law should be abolished in January 1995. In 1993 with the eventual deregulation, the APGT was given a $20,000 financial subsidy to allow the association to realise some of its objectives, notably to promote its services, and the competance of its members. Which we have done. With the experiences we have met in the last two years during this transitional period, we have studied the matter and have found that it is imperative we keep this by-law to ensure the integrity of these tour guides as ambassadors and promoters of Montréal’s local tourist industry. The City of Montréal is dimantling an important infrastructure. At the same time cities like Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax are consulting us to introduce a by-law to improve their quality control of tour guides.

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Source:
Jean-François Perrier, President
(514) 525-9462
(514) 597-1352 Fax