Coronavirus: at least 30 to 40 billion euros in losses for French tourism

30 to 40 billion euros: this is the cost of the "immediate impact" of the health crisis on the French tourism sector, according to the Secretary of State for Tourism, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. As the world's leading tourist destination with 90 million foreign tourists, French tourism is suffering.

“In normal times, tourism generates 180 billion euros in revenue, 60 billion of which comes from international tourism. The immediate impact of the epidemic is at least 30 to 40 billion euros, ”said the Secretary of State in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche.

Part of the foreign clientele "has disappeared" and "many operators tell us that their turnover will be down 20 to 25% by the end of the year," he adds.

"Blue, white, red summer is here"

Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne is rather optimistic about domestic tourism: according to the Secretary of State, 7 out of 10 French holidaymakers have chosen France for their summer stay. “It saves the essential,” he says. "The blue, white, red summer is here" but "let's be clear: in normal times, France welcomes 17 million foreign tourists every summer when 9 million French go abroad".

However, he welcomes "an encouraging month of July" and "hopes that August will be excellent" and the late season "in the colors of Indian summer". But “this recovery is fragile”, he adds, because “as soon as a cluster appears, the effect is immediate on cancellations of stays and reservations”.

To save what can be saved in this sector hit hard by the health crisis, the government has decided that the partial unemployment scheme set up for the tourism sector will be extended until December, and a loan guaranteed by The State (PGE) was set up at the beginning of July for the sectors linked to tourism, hotels, restaurants, events, sport, leisure and culture.

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