France expects to increase tourism revenues in 2023 to 64-67 billion euros”

01-09-23

The French tourism sector is performing well this summer and by 2023 international tourism revenues should reach a record of between 64 and 67 billion euros, which would mean a growth of around 10-15% compared to last year.

"France continues to be the number one tourist destination," Tourism Minister Olivia Grégoire told the press on Tuesday, giving an initial assessment of what she described as a "very good" summer season.

Grégoire stressed that the €58 billion in international tourism revenue for 2022, which had already been €1.2 billion above that of 2019, the last year before the coronavirus crisis, is set to be exceeded.

If things go well until the end of the year, the sector expects to end 2023 with between 78 million and 80 million international tourists, compared with 75 million in 2022.

Foreign clientele has been "the locomotive" of growth this summer, with increases of 13% in July and 15% in August compared to last year. However, the numbers are still 17% and 19% lower than in 2019.

The minister stressed that long-haul passenger arrivals are up 29% on last year, with increases of 22% for Americans and 119% for Asians (+140% for Japanese).

Despite the increase in Asian arrivals compared to 2022, their numbers were still 42% in July and 44% in August compared to the same months in 2019.

As for European tourists, who make up the largest contingent of international tourists, the main nationalities have continued to be German, British and Belgian.

Grégoire said that nearly 70 % of the French went on holiday, 88 % of whom stayed in France.

The increase in revenue this year is largely explained by price increases. The average revenue per overnight stay is up 21.9% compared to 2022.

The minister warned of the "excesses" that have been noted in prices and called for "everyone's responsibility".

She also indicated that a price observatory has been created for tourist rentals and that the aim is to point out "misleading behaviour" on the same advertising platforms, which, she recalled, can lead to fines of up to 300,000 euros and two years in prison.