Valérie Boned: We Won’t Be Able to Recover All We’ve Lost This Summer

Following the outbreak of the war in Iran initiated by the United States, activity in travel agencies had contracted sharply, pushing some players to resort to short-time unemployment and to seek cash flow solutions.

Fortunately, the approach of the peak travel period has boosted demand and revived last-minute sales, to varying degrees depending on distribution networks.

The latest barometer from Entreprises du Voyage provides an early summer assessment. It highlights a sharp drop in departures in August 2026, but also an increase in bookings in that same month.

By contrast, trends for the rest of the year are positive.

“From my discussions with members and the figures I have, I see that we will not catch up everything we lost this summer. However, the booking momentum for the coming months is moving in the right direction.

In terms of bookings for August, there were indeed many dossiers in the mountains and around the Mediterranean basin.

Thus, we are in positive territory for the late season, compared to the previous year. The momentum is fairly good.

The signal is rather positive, even though, cumulatively for the year, we remain negative. This means the sector is recovering“, explains Valérie Boned.

This has allowed many businesses to regain some health, whereas in spring, furlough was on everyone’s lips, or nearly.

“I haven’t seen any cash-flow or needs for short-time unemployment arise during the summer, except for the exceptional case of a few agencies in the Southwest, due to the wildfires.

There seems to be no longer concern about cash flow and activity in the sector“, says the president of EDV.

Even if specialists in Asia are still suffering, the industry has saved face and appears healthier than in the weeks following the outbreak of the conflict.

Nevertheless, July was inevitably heavily affected by the terrible fires in Gironde, which burned a little over 47,000 hectares, i.e. twice the size of Marseille or four times Paris.

“About ten agencies were affected by these fires.

We worked with Laurent Menenteau, an administrator of EDV Sud-Ouest, himself affected by the incidents. We identified the affected sales points, then we worked to support those located in the sectors hit by the fires.

If one of Laurent’s agencies had to close due to the fire’s progression, the others were not. However, they saw fewer visitors, thus experienced a drop in activity.

Then we have members who rent houses or properties and who faced cancellations. We therefore fought to find solutions for these various cases, notably regarding business interruptions“, continues she.

On this point, the EDV looked at insurance contracts and unfortunately, for Valérie Boned, insurers’ solidarity in such a situation did not jump out, to put it politely.

L’État n’aurait aucun levier pour les faire bouger afin de couvrir les pertes de revenus de ceux qui n’ont pas été touchés par les flammes, mais dont l’activité a été plus ou moins amputée par la désertion des touristes et les préoccupations des habitants, davantage occupés à régler d’autres problèmes que leur futur départ en vacances.

Concernant les tensions de trésorerie, le gouvernement a fait des annonces afin de soutenir les entreprises de la région.

In addition to this picture of natural disasters, which are rising sharply and becoming more intense, add the heatwave that unsettled Tunisia, causing tensions in some hotels due to power and water cuts.

These events, which for the moment seem to have little direct impact on the clientele, worry leaders like Yves Verdié or François Piot. What about the president of the EDV?

“It would be astonishing if this didn’t concern me.

We are facing several difficult subjects to handle, such as the relationship between climate change and our sector, in the long term. The industry tends to say: we’ll see how next year goes… We must undertake real reflections and move beyond small steps.

We study and talk a lot with Laurent de Chorivit, the co-CEO of Evaneos, but also with Nicolas Dayot, with whom we discuss the reconstruction of campgrounds, the prevention of events and the anticipation of what awaits us.

All of this worries and concerns many leaders.

I think that, until we feel client pressure on destination choices… I read a lot, we also work with Carbone 4, but reinventing models is complex.

And, moreover, climate change is a huge societal issue; it is extremely complex, explains Valérie Boned.

A theme that is likely to become crucial to prepare the industry for the transformations that will occur over the coming decades.

It will probably be addressed during the debate organized for the 2027 presidential election by the Confederation of Tourism Stakeholders (CAT), on December 1st.

An event to be named “The Grand Oral of Tourism”.

“This is the moment like never before to make the voice of tourism heard.

So, on that date, we will welcome all candidates for the presidential election, all day long. We have already heard feedback from the entourages of the political figures who will run.

We will demonstrate what we represent and what we expect.“, affirms Valérie Boned.

Remind that the two rounds will take place on Sundays April 18 and May 2, 2027.

Because of this election, and to also give space to democratic debate and to allow members time to grasp the consequences, the next national congress of EDV should exceptionally be held after IFTM Top Resa, in September 2027.

Before that, the Finance Bill should soon grab headlines again in the news and perhaps also on TourMaG.com, depending on the government’s intentions.

“During our interview with David Daniel, I conveyed a few messages.

Given the political and electoral context, there is a strong chance that the 2027 PLF will not be voted in the Assembly, so it will go through fast-track. That could mean the government’s bill becomes law.

Thus, we want no more taxes, whether new taxes or increases in the TSBA and others, but we also want visibility for businesses“, sets as a course the leader.

Already, if new taxes or increases will be difficult to push through only a few months before a crucial election, Sébastien Lecornu has promised “a lot of discipline.”

Beyond political questions, the president of Entreprises du Voyage remains committed to the modernization of the union.

“My aim is to speak to all those who are not members, to achieve maximum representation.

We will replicate the Business Travel Club, which is doing well, into events, with a few representative companies from this branch. We will launch it in September.

As part of the IFTM, we will sign an agreement with ADN Tourisme, together with the new president. It will be a partnership aimed at organizing a France Week, at the start of 2027, between our two unions and thus our members.

We are finalizing the project, but you know this is a very important topic for me. It will be a special focus on selling France with our partners,” enthuses Valérie Boned.

A president who seeks to further refine the barometer which, after Orchestra, now covers activities with Civitatis and could soon include outdoor camping hospitality.

The objective is to institutionalize and strengthen this monthly meeting, as well as to provide a true reflection of the economic activity of our sector.

A busy roadmap, therefore, as September looms for travel agents.