Since the health crisis, summer tourism tallies have become the new perennial staple on rolling news channels.
Compiled by the end of July, they are supposed to gauge the season’s pulse. And this year, unlike the previous ones, the summer looked bleak.
French clientele, affected by inflation, would no longer have the means to treat themselves to a restaurant, nor even to take a few days away to escape the intense heat.
Remember, earlier in the week, the minister told TourMaG.com that “if we count June, July, August and September, we are stable (for French clientele, ndlr). But I note a slight regression in the heart of the season, in July-August“, always about the French.
The occupant of Bercy even stressed that the summer had been saved by… foreign travelers.
And yet, INSEE came to contradict all these statements… even those of Serge Papin!
Compiled by the end of July, they are supposed to gauge the season’s pulse. And this year, unlike the previous ones, the summer looked bleak.
French clientele, affected by inflation, would no longer have the means to treat themselves to a restaurant, nor even to take a few days away to escape the intense heat.
Remember, earlier in the week, the minister told TourMaG.com that “if we count June, July, August and September, we are stable (for French clientele, ndlr). But I note a slight regression in the heart of the season, in July-August“, always about the French.
The occupant of Bercy even stressed that the summer had been saved by… foreign travelers.
And yet, INSEE came to contradict all these statements… even those of Serge Papin!
Summer Review: “Revisiting the Communication on Tourism Figures”
Following the element of surprise, the minister of Tourism’s staff analyzed these figures and, according to its representatives, the numbers unveiled earlier in the week “do not completely contradict everything we said, particularly regarding domestic demand.It should also be noted that INSEE focuses on attendance based on bookings, and not on tourism revenues, nor on international arrivals.
Therefore, one must be cautious when comparing different indicators. If you change the thermometer, you may not have the same feel.
It is true that everyone compares using different tools, whether it is the Travel Companies, the UMIH, the Alliance France Tourisme or KPMG.
But, for Bercy, this cacophony is counterproductive, even though INSEE provides the official statistics, albeit “fragmentary”.
Thus, during the peak season, as everyone issues announcements to alert about their members’ situation or to spotlight their concerns, Jean Pinard, president of the consulting firm Futourism, calls for a reset of the evaluations and the reports, so that they reflect exactly the real trends, and not bundles of presumptions.
“It is now time to bring everyone to the table to clearly define what we measure, why and by which methods” continues the author of the study for the Terram Institute, titled Holidays: History and Geography of an Unfinished Right.
INSEE’s Summer bilan “translates changes in foreign consumption”
Even the same tune from Bercy, which is surprised by this battle of figures and public statements in the middle of peak summer season.
“It would be interesting to review the communication on tourism figures. That there be a concerted effort to determine when, how and from what basis actors can speak. This situation concerns us.
Reports are drafted along the way and it isn’t only the fault of the media, because everyone goes with their messages. There is a reflex to speak up to say that the season was worse or better. This may not be the best solution.
Beyond this observation, it should invite us to think“, laments the minister’s staff.
If the tourism ecosystem agrees to denounce this summer cacophony, for Serge Papin’s entourage, INSEE’s figures rather reinforce the analysis he delivered at the IFTM.
“We achieved a solid season, which did not experience the kind of rupture we might have feared given the circumstances, but neither a surge.
The French needed holidays. This perhaps also reflects changes in consumption patterns, notably in the international clients’ booking habits.
Moreover, the international receipts recorded in July, up compared with the previous year, lead us to think that the tourist season was positive, especially for international clientele“, continues the minister’s office.
Ultimately, the surface contradiction may not be entirely so in practice, once the first impression has passed.
Incidentally, in the interview he granted us, Serge Papin already revealed that overnight stays were up by 1%. INSEE reports, for its part, an increase of 1.1% between May and August, for 2.8 million additional overnight stays.
“It would be interesting to review the communication on tourism figures. That there be a concerted effort to determine when, how and from what basis actors can speak. This situation concerns us.
Reports are drafted along the way and it isn’t only the fault of the media, because everyone goes with their messages. There is a reflex to speak up to say that the season was worse or better. This may not be the best solution.
Beyond this observation, it should invite us to think“, laments the minister’s staff.
If the tourism ecosystem agrees to denounce this summer cacophony, for Serge Papin’s entourage, INSEE’s figures rather reinforce the analysis he delivered at the IFTM.
“We achieved a solid season, which did not experience the kind of rupture we might have feared given the circumstances, but neither a surge.
The French needed holidays. This perhaps also reflects changes in consumption patterns, notably in the international clients’ booking habits.
Moreover, the international receipts recorded in July, up compared with the previous year, lead us to think that the tourist season was positive, especially for international clientele“, continues the minister’s office.
Ultimately, the surface contradiction may not be entirely so in practice, once the first impression has passed.
Incidentally, in the interview he granted us, Serge Papin already revealed that overnight stays were up by 1%. INSEE reports, for its part, an increase of 1.1% between May and August, for 2.8 million additional overnight stays.
A change in consumption habits
Moreover, this INSEE assessment is rich with several lessons for the ministerial office. “We draw from this two major conclusions.
First, a shift in the consumption habits of international customers, notably in terms of bookings and overnight stays.
Second, tourist demand has stabilized, across all markets. It has ultimately been quite present, though, again, prudence remains.
Foreign clients want to experience life the French way and Europe. They can do so in different ways. On one hand, they may opt to undertake a tour of Europe and visit as many countries as possible, which generates few overnight stays in each.
On the other hand, they may seek a more intimate experience of the destination, returning outside the major attractions and visiting the same country several times.
We may be at this point, with a decrease in overnight stays tied to package tours and a move toward more experiential tourism, closer to what Europeans experience. And for these travelers, stays are not always in hotels, details Serge Papin’s office.
France, beyond being a European crossroads – which explains why receipts are lower than in Spain or the United States – is also an entry point for North American and Asian travelers who want to discover Europe, starting or ending their itinerary with a few days in Paris.
First, a shift in the consumption habits of international customers, notably in terms of bookings and overnight stays.
Second, tourist demand has stabilized, across all markets. It has ultimately been quite present, though, again, prudence remains.
Foreign clients want to experience life the French way and Europe. They can do so in different ways. On one hand, they may opt to undertake a tour of Europe and visit as many countries as possible, which generates few overnight stays in each.
On the other hand, they may seek a more intimate experience of the destination, returning outside the major attractions and visiting the same country several times.
We may be at this point, with a decrease in overnight stays tied to package tours and a move toward more experiential tourism, closer to what Europeans experience. And for these travelers, stays are not always in hotels, details Serge Papin’s office.
France, beyond being a European crossroads – which explains why receipts are lower than in Spain or the United States – is also an entry point for North American and Asian travelers who want to discover Europe, starting or ending their itinerary with a few days in Paris.
France still a global leader: “no worries” for the moment
Published by Romain Pommier Journalist – TourMaG.com See all articles by Romain Pommier
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