The 2024 Summer Olympic Games are in full swing, and all eyes have
been on Paris. However, despite global attention on the city, inbound
tourism to Paris itself is not surging, according to a new report from
data aggregator Similarweb.
Lodging data shows a YOY decline for France’s highest markets
In fact, accommodation bookings to the French capital that were
reserved during the first six months of 2024 show a 14% decline over the
same period in 2023. The top 10 inbound tourism markets to Paris have
also declined when compared with the same period in 2023, with the
exception of the U.S. (which grew only 5% in the first half of 2024).
These declining markets include visitors from the Netherlands (-38%);
Canada (-33%); the United Kingdom and Spain (-20%); Italy (-13%); other
parts of France (-12%); and Germany, Switzerland and Belgium (-7%).
Meanwhile, Serbia and Croatia show increased interest
On the flip side, two countries have increased their Paris bookings
dramatically. Serbia is experiencing an increase of 88% in
year-over-year growth (perhaps fuelled by “what might be Novak
Djokovic’s last Olympics,” according to the report), while Croatia is
reporting 73% year-over-year growth.
Other French destinations see growing popularity
Cities outside of Paris have also gained attention, according to data
that measured visits to Air France’s payment page. Seaside towns
including Biarritz and Cannes are rising in popularity with French and
British travelers, while Lille is attracting tourists from the UK and
Germany. Annecy is resonating with German visitors, specifically.
For the US, year-over-year growth in online accommodation searches (via Booking.com)
has been reported for the French destinations of Provence, Lyon,
Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Toulouse, Lille and Cannes. This could be due
to high lodging prices in Paris, according to the report, with
travelers planning to base themselves in nearby cities while taking day
trips to the capital.
Source: TravelAge West