Rimouski, May 25, 2026 – Cruise the Saint Lawrence is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Marjolaine de Sa as Executive Director. A seasoned manager in the tourism and association sectors, Ms. de Sa brings over 25 years of experience in industry representation, governance, and organizational development.
Recognized for her people-centered and inspiring leadership, she has distinguished herself throughout her career by her ability to bring stakeholders together and turn ideas into structured projects. She has held key positions in hospitality, destination development, and tourism operations.
As Executive Director of the Association hôtelière de la région de Québec (AHRQ), she guided the organization through major transformations, including navigating the pandemic. She also held senior leadership positions at Groupe Voyages Québec, where she contributed to the delivery of large-scale projects.
Early in her career, Ms. de Sa contributed to promoting iconic attractions such as the Ice Hotel and Village Vacances Valcartier, both nationally and internationally.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am very pleased to welcome Marjolaine de Sa as Executive Director of Cruise the Saint Lawrence. Her background, her inspiring leadership and her deep understanding of the tourism ecosystem will be valuable assets for our association and for all our members. As our destination enters a renewed growth phase and several levers are in place to enhance the attractiveness of the Saint Lawrence, we have an opportunity to lead impactful, structured and sustainable projects for our ports of call, our communities and Québec’s cruise industry. I am confident that Marjolaine will be able to rally partners around a bold and collaborative vision to further position the Saint Lawrence as a world-class destination.” – Marie-Andrée Blanchet, President, Cruise the Saint Lawrence.
“I am extremely proud to join the Cruise the Saint Lawrence team. Representing our members, supporting their success and contributing to the growth of the association are responsibilities that are deeply meaningful to me. I feel that my entire career has led me to this opportunity, and I am excited for what lies ahead.” – Marjolaine de Sa, Executive Director, Cruise the Saint Lawrence.
Ms. de Sa’s arrival marks an important milestone for Cruise the Saint Lawrence in a particularly favourable context for the industry development. The organization can rely on the renewal of its partnership agreement with the Ministère du Tourisme, representing $400,000 in support, as well as on the enhancement of an incentive program now backed by an additional $4.6 million to attract more international cruise ships and increase socio-economic benefits for Québec. This momentum, supported by close collaboration with industry partners, will help strengthen the positioning of the Saint Lawrence as a world-class destination while fostering sustainable and coordinated growth of the tourism offering.
This appointment comes at a time of transition, as Ms. de Sa succeeds Mr. René Trépanier, who led Cruise the Saint Lawrence for 20 years and will retire in July. The organization wishes to warmly thank him for his invaluable contribution to the development and visibility of the industry.
About Cruise the Saint Lawrence
Cruise the Saint Lawrence (CSL) is a sectoral association bringing together nine ports of call along the Saint Lawrence River: Montreal, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Saguenay, Baie-Comeau, Sept-Îles, Havre-Saint-Pierre, Gaspé, and Îles-de-la-Madeleine. Its mission is to contribute to the growth of the cruise market in Quebec and the Canada–New England destination by providing marketing and development services to its members. CSL is supported by its partners Tourisme Québec, the Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec, and Canada Economic Development.