SINGAPORE, 20 February 2024: Amadeus data reveals winning strategies for French travel companies ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris from 23 July to 15 August 2024.
Six months before the Summer Games in Paris in 2024, flight searches to France for the dates just before and after the games are already surging by 25% compared to last year.
Amadeus Intelligence data has zeroed in on three significant trends positioned to play a pivotal role in shaping the travel landscape in France in the coming months. If used wisely, this insight offers valuable opportunities for businesses to enhance their market share and capitalise on the enthusiasm of sports fans this summer.
Flight searches to France surge
The top five countries searching for flights to France are the US, the UK, Brazil, Spain and Canada. But with most of the Olympic games being held in Paris, it’s no surprise that the demand for flights to the French capital has surged, reaching 33% higher than last year.
Regarding travel to the French capital, Germans are at the top of the leaderboard. Searches from Germany to Paris increased by an astounding 144% for travel dates between July 23 and August 15th in 2024, compared to the same dates last year.
Meanwhile, when looking at the main markets, searches from the US to Paris for the same period are up 72%, with the UK (60%) and Brazil (50%) taking third and fourth place for year-on-year growth, respectively. The rest of Europe and the Americas also show a spike in interest in flights to Paris: searches grew by 34% and 29%, respectively, in those regions. Finally, searches from the Asia Pacific region saw a 15% increase and flights from MENA a 10% bump. But don’t forget domestic travellers: interest in flights to Paris from other parts of France has grown by 54%
Lille, Lyon and Marseille see Olympic excitement
Paris is not the only city to benefit from Olympic tourism. Amadeus’s data sees big interest in other corners of France. In particular, flight searches to Marseille, Lyon and Lille, which are hosting various competitions, are also taking off:
Lille: This northern town, where basketball and handball games will take place, is experiencing an exceptional 100% increase in international and domestic flight searches. The city has the highest growth rates in the US (118%) and Germany (111%).
Lyon: Football fans will be flooding to Lyon. Searches to this destination are soaring domestically with an impressive 70% rise, and internationally, they’re catching attention with a 19% increase. Lyon is getting extra love from Japan and the United States, with flight searches spiking by an incredible 123% and 118%, respectively.
Marseille: Flight searches to Marseille, where football and sailing competitions will be hosted, are also picking up steam, with a solid 13% uptick in domestic and international interest. Again, the Americans, Japanese and Germans are getting on board, each showing an impressive 70% surge in flight searches.
One-week stays are still the norm
Despite the surge in travel interest, the average stay duration remains a steadfast seven days. Travellers planning trips to France exhibit a shortened search lead time, with an average of 3.5 days less compared to 2023. This indicates that the excitement surrounding the Olympics in Paris in 2024 prompts swift decision-making among sports enthusiasts. The data underscores that, while there is a surge in interest, the traditional one-week stay remains the preferred choice for most visitors.
Understandably, travellers coming from far away are more likely to stay longer. Brazilians are likely to stay an average of 9 days, while people from the Asia Pacific region will likely stay for 12.
Origin of Data: These data points are based on research by Amadeus’s data science teams. Data is drawn from a custom search dataset, Amadeus Master Pricer, and Amadeus Agency Insights. Learn more about Amadeus at www.amadeus.com
