Hossegor beach (Landes), May 30, 2023 (AFP/Archives/Charly TRIBALLEAU)
Despite inflation, the French have every intention of enjoying their holidays this summer, even if it means reducing certain expenses or reducing the length of stay.
“We always go on vacation but we try to limit the costs with tips: we go outside the vacation period, we set ourselves budgets that we try to respect”, explains to AFP Jérôme Capot, 26, as a couple. , childless.
Axel Hermant, a 32-year-old from Le Havre, “goes on vacation less often” with his wife and son. “Before, we used to go to England a lot, this year we won’t go”, he says, “the only place we go is on the coast, in the south, because we have a house of family so no accommodation to pay”.
“There is a very strong desire for holidays and the French are trying to preserve their holiday budget as much as possible. They sanctify it by making sacrifices in other items such as clothing, food or cars”, explains to AFP Didier Arino, managing director of Protourisme.
According to a Europe Assistance barometer, three out of four French people will travel this summer but “with a budget under surveillance”. 26% of them want to spend their holidays with friends or family (compared to 21% of Europeans).
The Gare de Lyon in Paris, during the crossover of the summer holidays on July 29, 2022 (AFP/Bertrand GUAY)
The housing rental site between individuals Abritel notes a 25% increase compared to last year in searches on the North-West coast, from Pas-de-Calais to Loire Atlantique.
“Staying with the family on the Channel coasts makes it possible to find accommodation there that is often cheaper and, for the inhabitants of the northern half of the country, more easily accessible to save on the cost of transport”, notes Xavier Rousselou, porter. word of HomeAway.
These are also destinations that suffered less from the heat last year.
– “Carpe Diem”-
Of the 25 million French people who will leave in July and August in a rental, six million “have a declining budget”, estimates Didier Arino.
“Those who have to make trade-offs leave either for less time, or less far or are still looking for the right plan, promotion”, underlines the tourism specialist.
This is the case of Alice who did not wish to give her last name, teacher and mother of two teenagers.
Vacationers in the Lavezzi Islands, near Bonifacio in Corsica, July 10, 2022 (AFP/Archives/Pascal POCHARD-CASABIANCA)
“We don’t know yet where we’re going when it’s usually already fixed, it takes longer to make the decision because we hesitate,” she explains to AFP. “We pay attention to what we do and we try to balance with other expenses, especially food,” she adds.
Jérôme Mercier, CEO of camping.com, notes that “the budget filter” on his booking site “is used twice as much this year”. “Customers do not choose to lower their standards but are ready to reduce their period of stay,” he told AFP.
“Bookings for longer than a week are down 15%”, he notes, and “French customers have reduced their journey by 50 km on average”.
Tourism professionals are also noticing an increase in bookings for early July and the last week of August, periods when prices are lower than other weeks.
For trips outside France, the Syndicate of Tour Operating Companies (Seto) noted in May bookings up 35.6% with favorite destinations Greece, the Balearic Islands and Tunisia.
“We have never had so many people who tell us that if they work, it is to be able to go on vacation”, is surprised Didier Arino.
“I have never seen such strong elements, a form of + Carpe Diem, we do not know what tomorrow will bring +”, he adds. “There is a lot of anxiety among the French and it’s a bit + let’s take advantage of it while there is still time +”.
© 2023 AFP
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