“We wanted the sun and it is not expensive!”: This year again, with the sun, the budget will be the first concern of the French who will go on vacation.
“We have a very contrasting situation” according to the territories, explains Didier Arino, manager of the Protourism Cabinet, “with a fall in reserves in destinations that are not sunny, that is, Brittany, Normandy, the north, and, of course, we are in the Mediterranean basin,” he explains.
“The reservations are average for summer. Two years have passed that it was not too beautiful in summer in Brittany, we suffered a little of that,” confirms Gaëlle, manager of the Balcon de la Baie Du Mont-Saint-Michel, in the Iille-Et-Vilaine camp.
“Last year, the weather was catastrophic, so people (…) do not want to return,” confirms Yves Jehanno, director of the Gîtes de France du Morbihan. Even if he begs: “In Brittany, we don’t come for heat, we come for culture, landscapes.”
“We transmit the weather on Sunday night, if they announce the sun, play a lot in the reserves of the week,” says Alan, director of Logis Hôtel Saint-Huirec and the beach in Ploumanac’h (côtes-d’armor) who, however, anticipates an increase (of reservations) for this year. “
A little shorter stays
According to a classification established by the Holiday Rental Site of Abritel, the most wanted destinations by French tourists are VAR, Southern Corsica, Charente-Maritime, Gironde and Landes.
“The season will depend on the latest reservations of minutes that depend on the weather but also on promotional offers,” according to Didier Arino, who emphasizes that in France, “in accommodation, prices have increased by 27% in four years.”
“We perceive a lot of anxiety and tension compared to purchasing power, caution savings, the budget for French holidays … things that are, we will not say in red, but at least in orange fire,” explains Vanguelis Panayotis, managing director of MKG Consulting.
“The French will leave, but perhaps a little less long and will be much more cautious about the expense of additional activities,” he adds.
In the Cabañas de Morbihan, Yves Jehanno points out that seven -night stays have dropped (51% against 53.8% in 2024), while the increase of 2 to 6 nights increases (23.6% against 21%).
According to an opinionway survey for Liligo’s travel comparator, 61% of the French plan to leave this summer (+1 point compared to 2024) despite an average budget for the first time in five years (minus 74 euros per person).
Increased popularity in departments near Paris
Marion, 29, Adèle and Marine, 28, three friends crossed at Gare Du Nord in Paris, will go to Mallorca this year. “We wanted the sun and it’s not expensive,” explains Marion. “And it’s not far away,” adds Adèle.
In France, “the most affected by this fall in expenses will be restorative, merchants and pay activities,” said Didier Arino, who, as Vanguelis Panayotis, observes an increase in “all -inclusive” formulas where the budget is more under control.
The highest increases in the search for holiday rentals are in departments located a few hours from Paris, such as the OISE (+150%), Eure, Loiret, Vienne, Allier (+30% on average), according to Abritel, which points out the same phenomenon near Lyon “with a high increase in the Loira, Ain and Allier (+80% on average).
“These campaign destinations offer rents to rates that are often much more affordable than on the coast”, from 20 to 30% lower, according to Abritel.
Tourism professionals can also have foreign visitors. “All territories that depend on foreign customers, and particularly high purchase clients, will work well, such as vineyards, Nice, Cannes,” analyzes Didier Arino.
Destinations such as Cannes or Saint Tropez, “probably, as well as last year, which was an almost historical year,” according to Vanguelis Panayotis, with a “effect of the Olympic Games in Paris that works quite well.”
In 2024, France remained the main destination of the world, with 100 million foreign visitors according to the Government, before Spain.
Source: BFM TV
