Few clouds in the sky on vacation. “We are witnessing a good tourist recovery in France”, rejoiced this Tuesday morning during a press briefing, the Minister Delegate in charge of Tourism Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. The ski season, which has just ended, is “excellent, with an increase in attendance in all the massifs and record figures in the Pyrenees (+ 10 %) and in the Isère resorts (+ 20 %). Which could return France to its first place as a mountain destination, after having lost it during the last two years marked by the Covid, to the benefit of the United States and Austria.
Over the Easter weekend, “the results are very satisfactory and the hoteliers say that they are the harbingers of a very good summer season, underlined Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. Revenue per room is up 18% nationally compared to the same pre-crisis period. “And the minister delegate to note several other factors of hope:” We see the recovery, including in territories where it was expected until now: the big cities. Paris thus recorded an occupancy rate of 91% at Easter, i.e. 3.7% more than in 2019 at the same period. We are seeing the return of American and Canadian tourists…” 5-star hotels are making a strong comeback with +3.6% in activity compared to before the crisis and, above all, average prices are up 30%.
The outdoor hotel industry is full for this summer. Reservations are up 24% to date compared to 2019 and forecast revenue is up 30%. “We are seeing a sharp increase in reservations for the summer at our partner campsites: + 80% compared to 2021, confirms Jérôme Mercier, the general manager of campings.com. But we are also observing the first effects of inflation: the French fall back on the week of July 9, which records 17% of reservations to date, i.e. more than the week of August 6, which is usually the most booked and the most Dear. Similarly, reservations at 3-star campsites are up sharply in comparison with 4 and 5 star ones. »
“We will have to prepare to face it”
“The aviation sector is picking up, also indicates the minister. The National Federation of Merchant Aviation (Fnam), this summer will mark the return of 100% of medium-haul flights and around 85% of long-haul flights because journeys to Asia are still penalized. In February, international tourism receipts in France are approaching 2019 levels: 2.7 billion euros. This is 1.5 billion more than in 2021 and – 8% compared to 2019.
Could the pangs of the epidemic be part of the bad memories of professionals in the tourism sector this summer? “With a strong domestic base, to which is added the international clientele, the summer season will be very dynamic, predicts Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. On the contrary, we will have to prepare to face it. In this case, recruitment promises to be complicated according to professionals in the hotel and catering industry. Recently the two unions representing the sector, the Umih and the GNI, estimated between 200,000 and 300,000 jobs still unfilled.
Another black spot, “for travel companies, explains the minister, activity is down 15% compared to 2019 and business travel is down 30%. The foreseeable absence of Russian customers should not be too penalizing, according to Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. “There were 600,000 Russian admissions in 2019. This is 0.5% of international customers. We have the means to find customers elsewhere. France has once again become the number 1 destination in Europe for Americans, Belgians, Italians and Spaniards.