SINGAPORE, 16 July 2024: Just weeks ahead of the Summer Olympics, traveller interest in France continues to rise, according to Amadeus business intelligence data.
Based on booking data until early June, international air travel to France was up 56% for the Olympic travel period between 24 July and 13 August, while domestic air travel was up 31%.
All host cities will benefit from the Olympic and Paralympic games. Paris is already one of the world’s top tourist destinations, but during the Summer Olympics, the City of Light expects 72% more travellers than last year.
Between 28 August and 8 September, the Paralympics will also boost travel to Paris by 16%, with special interest from travellers from the US, Spain and Canada.
For the northern city of Lille, which is hosting basketball and handball, visitors will more than quadruple – overall bookings to Lille are up an astounding 203% compared to last summer. Most of these visitors will be from France: the city will see 300% growth in domestic travellers, compared to 181% in international travellers.
Meanwhile, overall bookings to Bordeaux, which is hosting football, are up by 38%, the same increase as bookings to Marseille, which is hosting sailing and football.
Where are travellers coming from?
Domestic travel in France increased by 31% compared to the same time last year, but most of the growth came from international travellers from all over the world, with a 56% increase.
● In Paris, most travellers will come from the US, Japan and Canada.
● Down south, Marseille will see more Americans, while a strong British presence will join Algerians up north in Lille.
● In Bordeaux, the British and the Americans will also show strongly.
● Nice and Lyon will see more Americans and Germans.
● In Nantes, Germans and Canadians will have the biggest footprint.
Hotel occupancy rates are on the rise
According to Amadeus’ Demand360+® business intelligence data recorded on 31 May 31, occupancy rates in France for the last week of July are up 86% compared with last year and up 88% for the first week of August.
In Paris, hotels are almost full. The occupancy rate is 81% the week of 28 July and 76% the week of 4 August. Last-minute planners may have a hard time finding a room.
In Lille, hotel occupancy rates are 56% for the week of 28 July and 35% for the first week of August, 171% and 91% higher than for the same periods last year. In Marseille, occupancy rates are nearing 70% in the last week of July and 57% in the first week of August — more than double the occupancy rates compared to the same time in 2023.
Regarding alternative accommodations, like Airbnb, nights sold in Paris are up 64% for the Olympics dates and 74% for the Paralympics dates, compared to last year.
With more than 50% of hotel bookings made 0-14 days before a stay, last-minute travellers may be surprised. Right now, the average daily rate (ADR) is down 13% in Paris at USD724 and down 7% at USD616 in the rest of France, compared to a previous analysis on 1 April 2024.
With flight bookings and occupancy rates way higher than average throughout Paris and the other Olympic and Paralympic host cities, France’s hospitality sector is in for a busy summer season.
