Inflation has not completely spoiled the holidays of the French. The 2023 summer season should be a little better than in 2022, which was already "remarkable", said Tuesday the government, presenting a first assessment. And this, despite the rise in the prices of everyday products and a surge in hotel rates that have increased the cost of holidays, forcing the French to arbitration. The balance sheet of the tourist season will be refined at the end of September, including the late season.
As for July and August, attendance was "generally stable" compared to last year, with nearly 7 out of 10 French people (67%) who went on holiday, for weekends or long stays, according to the survey by Atout France, ADN Tourisme and 11 regional tourism committees, conducted by OpinionWay and published Tuesday. And 88% of them stayed in France.
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For the French who could not go on holiday, "financial reasons remain the first explanatory factor for 40% of them," according to the survey. Between capricious weather and constrained budget, the French opted a little less for the coast and favored shorter stays this summer, while foreign tourists returned.
The French have sought "to better control their spending"
If, despite inflation, the French have "sanctuarized their holidays," said Minister Delegate for Tourism Olivia Grégoire at a press conference. The survey shows that they have "sought to better control their spending": 27% "said they consumed less in restaurants" and the average length of stay rose to eight days compared to nine last year.
"Faced with prices sometimes considered quite high, the behavior of the French has evolved," she continued: "They have always gone to restaurants but have often consumed a little less or otherwise," praising campsites and rentals between individuals, whose attendance increased by 2% and 11.8% respectively.
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But in the hotel industry where revenue per room (RevPar) has soared by "30% in some regions compared to 2019", attendance has declined by about 2%, said the minister. She called for "everyone's responsibility for prizes" ahead of the Rugby World Cup and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Rental platforms will, "by the end of 2023", report on their site rentals that are too expensive compared to the rest of the market, she said.
Stressing that the countryside and the mountains, more affordable destinations, attracted more this summer, François de Canson, president of ADN Tourisme, which federates institutional organizations, called for "paying attention to the value for money which becomes the central arbitration for holidays".