Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Trips to France fell in 2019 as consumers turned to value packages in the Med
- Long-term volumes have declined but spending has increased
- Coronavirus likely to impact on market in 2020
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- Figure 1: Forecast of holidays to France, by volume, 2014-24
- Figure 2: Forecast of holidays to France, by value*, 2014-24
- Companies and brands
- Transport developments can open new opportunities
- The consumer
- Consumer penetration remains flat at 21% of adults
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- Figure 3: Experience of holidaying in France, November 2015-November 2019
- North East has seen a rise in visits
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- Figure 4: Regions of France visited for a holiday, November 2019
- Surge in visits to French cities
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- Figure 5: Types of holiday taken in France, November 2017 and November 2019
- Mid-market hotels and Airbnb have increased market share
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- Figure 6: Types of holiday accommodation used in France, November 2017 and November 2019
- Solo travellers head to French cities
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- Figure 7: Main attractions of a holiday in France, November 2019
- Lapsed visitors are most likely to see France as expensive
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- Figure 8: Perceptions of France as a holiday destination, November 2019
- Rail travel on track for success
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- Figure 9: Holiday opportunities in France, November 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- ‘Beyond the beach’ packages
- The facts
- The implications
- Stress-free France
- The facts
- The implications
- New generation foodie travel
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Holidays to France fell in 2019 as consumers switched to package holidays
- Italy has taken market share from France
- Long-term volumes have declined but spending has grown
- Coronavirus uncertainty
- Lucrative short break market is buoyant in France
- Tunnel crossings have seen an upward trend in the past two years
- New travel possibilities ahead
Market Size and Forecast
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- Holidays to France dipped in 2019 as consumers switched to value packages
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- Figure 10: Holidays to France market, by volume and value, 2014-24
- Volume has declined in the long term but spending has risen
- Forecast
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- Figure 11: Forecast of holidays to France, by volume, 2014-24
- Figure 12: Forecast of holidays to France, by value*, 2014-24
Market Segmentation
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- France saw package surge in 2019
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- Figure 13: Volume of holidays to France, independently booked versus package trips, 2014-19
- Tunnel crossings have performed better than air travel over the past two years
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- Figure 14: Volume of holidays to France, by mode of travel, 2014-19
- High-spending short breakers
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- Figure 15: Holidays to France, by volume, value, number of nights and average spend per night/day, by trip duration, 2018
- Spend per trip increases with age
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- Figure 16: Volume, value and average spend per night/day of holidays to France, by age, 2018
- Family drift
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- Figure 17: Percentage volume of holidays to France, by age, 2014-18
Market Background
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- As one chapter of uncertainty closes another opens
- Travel has been robust despite challenges…
- …but coronavirus poses a serious and escalating threat
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- Figure 18: Domestic and overseas holiday volume and expenditure, 2014-19
- Swing towards packages on the Eastern Med
- Independent travel destinations struggled in 2019
- The challenge from Italy has grown in recent years
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- Figure 19: Top 10 overseas holiday destinations, by number of trips, 2014-18 and estimated annual change for 2018-19
- Pound has risen in early 2020 but further volatility is likely
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- Figure 20: Spot exchange rate, Pound Sterling vs euro and US$, June 2016-February 2020
- Resort prices have dropped in France and risen in Italy over the past two years
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- Figure 21: Holiday costs* for a selection of European resorts, 2016-20
- ‘Secondary cities’ in France offer good value
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- Figure 22: City break costs for a selection of European cities*, 2016-19
- New air connectivity for 2020
- French driving costs have risen
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- Figure 23: Motoring costs per 1,000 miles, 2016-19
- French HS rail network is growing
- New Eurostar developments
- Electric France can be the green destination of choice
- New generation of ferries
- Atout France’s priorities for UK market
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Green holidays and gastro-touring
- La Samaritaine re-opens
- France’s highest hotel
- Parc Asterix and Disneyland developments
- Major new British war memorial
- Paddock brings new shopping & leisure opportunities to capital
- Paris afloat
- Challenge France
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Green & gastro France
- Height of luxury
- Theme park developments
- History & culture
- Parisian Brooklyn
- Floating Paris
- Active challenge
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- One in five adults have visited France in the past five years
- Almost half of visitors go to Paris and the North East has seen a rise over the past two years
- City breaks are up 11 percentage points over the past two years
- Mid-market hotel and Airbnb growth
- Gastro-touring has big potential
- Cost perceptions are a key barrier to attracting lapsed visitors
- Fly-free holidays by train
Experience of Holidaying in France
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- Trips numbers have fluctuated but the underlying consumer trend has been flat
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- Figure 24: Experience of holidaying in France, November 2015-November 2019
- France versus Spain versus Italy demographics
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- Figure 25: Demographic profile of those who have taken holidays to France, Spain and Italy in the past five years, November 2019
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- Figure 26: Regional residence profile of those in Great Britain who have taken holidays to France, Spain and Italy in the past five years, November 2019
- Potential interest is high but competition is strong
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- Figure 27: Interest in visiting France on holiday in future, November 2017 and November 2019
Regions of France Visited on Holiday
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- North East has risen, South of France has fallen
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- Figure 28: Regions of France visited for a holiday, November 2017 and November 2019
Types of Holiday Taken in France
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- Surge in French city breaks
- One in six visitors take a coastal holiday
- Active/hobby breaks have risen
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- Figure 29: Types of holiday taken in France, November 2017 and November 2019
- Holiday type demographics
French Holiday Accommodation
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- Mid-market hotels and Airbnb are the main accommodation trends
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- Figure 30: Types of holiday accommodation used in France, November 2017 and November 2019
Attractions and Perceptions of France
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- Gastronomy is still the biggest draw for France
- Cities for solos
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- Figure 31: Main attractions of a holiday in France, November 2019
- Flight guilt could benefit France
- Car travel is less of an attraction for younger generations
- ‘Expensive’ is the most popular association with France
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- Figure 32: Perceptions of France as a holiday destination, November 2019
Holidays to France – Opportunities
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- Age of rail
- Gastro-touring holidays are popular…
- …but France may need to develop a more flexitarian foodie offer
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- Figure 33: Holiday opportunities in France, November 2019
- Family touring packages
- Thrill of the live
- Well France
- Cycling holiday potential
- Elixir of youth
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Definitions
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 34: Holidays to France, volume forecast, 2019-24
- Figure 35: Holidays to France, value* forecast, 2019-24
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