The number of collective tourists in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by 4.0% year-on-year – Quick Information – 203

In the second quarter of 2024, the occupancy rate (measured in overnight stays) of collective accommodation in France, excluding campsites, fell by 4.0% compared to the second quarter of 2023. This decline affected all types of accommodation, with a greater drop in hotels (-4.5%) compared to holiday and other short-term accommodation (HOSSA, -2.5%). The decline was particularly pronounced in April and June, while in May the occupancy rate was similar to that in 2023.

In the second quarter of 2024, hotel occupancy was 57 million overnight stays. This is a 4.5% decrease compared to the level in the second quarter of 2023. The occupancy rate of resident guests was mainly responsible for this decrease (-5.5%, or 2.1 million fewer overnight stays), while the occupancy rate of non-resident guests decreased less significantly (-2.7%, or 0.6 million fewer overnight stays).

Only 4- to 5-star hotels saw a slight increase in occupancy (+0.6%), thanks to an increase in non-guests and a smaller decrease in guests. In all other hotel categories, occupancy fell sharply, due to the loss of both guests and non-guests. Unclassified and 1- to 2-star hotels saw the largest decreases in occupancy (-11.3% and -8.7%, respectively).

All regions of France saw a decrease in the number of tourists. The decline was particularly pronounced in Île-de-France (-8.5%) and the ski mountain regions (-6.8%). Overall, the number of overnight stays in these two regions decreased by 1.7 million. Only the coastline (+7.6%) and the provincial urban regions (+1.4%) saw an increase in the number of non-resident tourists.

Business passenger traffic in the second quarter of 2024 fell significantly (-16.4%, or 4 million fewer overnight stays) compared to the second quarter of 2023. This decline affected all regions.

Non-resident hotel overnight stays decreased in Q2 2024 compared to Q2 2023 (-2.7%). This decline affected European customers, with a sharp drop in stays from customers in the UK (-17.4%) and a drop in stays from customers in Germany (-10.5%).

On the other hand, the number of American tourists increased by 15.5%, and the number of Chinese tourists increased by 40%, with the number of Chinese tourists’ overnight stays increasing from 290,000 to 405,000. However, the number of Chinese tourists is still only half of the level before the health crisis.

In holiday and other short-term accommodation in metropolitan France, occupancy fell by 2.5% compared to the level in the second quarter of 2023. Occupancy fell in tourist residences (-4.0%), but increased in other short-term accommodation (+1.6%). This decline was due to dissatisfaction among resident guests (-3.9%), while the number of non-resident guests increased by 3.7%.

Only the ski mountain regions saw an increase in skier visits (+3.7%). Skier visits fell in Île-de-France by 1.6%, in the provinces and cities by 2.0%, in the coast by 2.5% and in other French metropolitan areas by 7.4%.

Compared to the provisional data published on May 23, the one-year change in occupancy in collective accommodation other than camping sites in the first quarter of 2024 was slightly revised (+2.4% instead of +2.1%).