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Holidays to France - UK - March 2020

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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
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
Figure 3: Experience of holidaying in France, November 2015-November 2019
North East has seen a rise in visits
Figure 4: Regions of France visited for a holiday, November 2019
Surge in visits to French cities
Figure 5: Types of holiday taken in France, November 2017 and November 2019
Mid-market hotels and Airbnb have increased market share
Figure 6: Types of holiday accommodation used in France, November 2017 and November 2019
Solo travellers head to French cities
Figure 7: Main attractions of a holiday in France, November 2019
Lapsed visitors are most likely to see France as expensive
Figure 8: Perceptions of France as a holiday destination, November 2019
Rail travel on track for success
Figure 9: Holiday opportunities in France, November 2019
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
‘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
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
Holidays to France dipped in 2019 as consumers switched to value packages
Figure 10: Holidays to France market, by volume and value, 2014-24
Volume has declined in the long term but spending has risen
Forecast
Figure 11: Forecast of holidays to France, by volume, 2014-24
Figure 12: Forecast of holidays to France, by value*, 2014-24
MARKET SEGMENTATION 
France saw package surge in 2019
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
Figure 14: Volume of holidays to France, by mode of travel, 2014-19
High-spending short breakers
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
Figure 16: Volume, value and average spend per night/day of holidays to France, by age, 2018
Family drift
Figure 17: Percentage volume of holidays to France, by age, 2014-18
MARKET BACKGROUND
As one chapter of uncertainty closes another opens
Travel has been robust despite challenges…
…but coronavirus poses a serious and escalating threat
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
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
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
Figure 21: Holiday costs* for a selection of European resorts, 2016-20
‘Secondary cities’ in France offer good value
Figure 22: City break costs for a selection of European cities*, 2016-19
New air connectivity for 2020
French driving costs have risen
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
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
Green & gastro France
Height of luxury
Theme park developments
History & culture
Parisian Brooklyn
Floating Paris
Active challenge
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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
Trips numbers have fluctuated but the underlying consumer trend has been flat
Figure 24: Experience of holidaying in France, November 2015-November 2019
France versus Spain versus Italy demographics
Figure 25: Demographic profile of those who have taken holidays to France, Spain and Italy in the past five years, November 2019
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
Figure 27: Interest in visiting France on holiday in future, November 2017 and November 2019
REGIONS OF FRANCE VISITED ON HOLIDAY
North East has risen, South of France has fallen
Figure 28: Regions of France visited for a holiday, November 2017 and November 2019
TYPES OF HOLIDAY TAKEN IN FRANCE
Surge in French city breaks
One in six visitors take a coastal holiday
Active/hobby breaks have risen
Figure 29: Types of holiday taken in France, November 2017 and November 2019
Holiday type demographics
FRENCH HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION
Mid-market hotels and Airbnb are the main accommodation trends
Figure 30: Types of holiday accommodation used in France, November 2017 and November 2019
ATTRACTIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF FRANCE
Gastronomy is still the biggest draw for France
Cities for solos
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
Figure 32: Perceptions of France as a holiday destination, November 2019
HOLIDAYS TO FRANCE – OPPORTUNITIES
Age of rail
Gastro-touring holidays are popular…
…but France may need to develop a more flexitarian foodie offer
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
Definitions
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
APPENDIX – MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Figure 34: Holidays to France, volume forecast, 2019-24
Figure 35: Holidays to France, value* forecast, 2019-24

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