According to WTTC, France retains its throne as the ultimate choice for Global Travelers

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

The most recent flight booking data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and ForwardKeys, its knowledge partner, indicates that France is poised to maintain its position as the world’s most sought-after destination for international arrivals in the current year.

The research unveils a positive outlook for inbound travel to France, with arrivals expected to nearly return to pre-pandemic levels in the coming months.

At the Destination France event in Chantilly, hosted by President Macron, Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, commended France for its determined focus on recognizing the economic and cultural significance that Travel & Tourism brings in terms of jobs and GDP. This success is attributed to a robust collaboration between the private sector, government, and regional entities.

According to the latest analysis by WTTC and ForwardKeys, international arrivals in France for the first half of 2024 have reached 93% of the same period in 2019, solidifying France’s standing as the world’s premier destination.

The surge in international arrivals during the initial months of this year is providing a significant boost to the sector, which, at its peak, contributed €220 billion to the national economy and supported 2.7 million livelihoods across the country.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “France’s commitment to Travel & Tourism is not just reflected in the impressive data, but in the unwavering efforts of the government.

The research also indicates that airlines are increasing their capacity to meet the growing global demand, with the number of seats set to surpass 2019 levels this year.

Olivier Ponti, Vice President Insights at ForwardKeys, added: “With flight bookings on the rise and air carriers set to introduce a record number of seats, France enters 2024 in a strong position. 

This rise in passenger capacity is notably led by Orly Airport, experiencing a 28% increase, reaching nearly eight million. Charles de Gaulle remains the busiest airport in France, reaching 18.5 million in the first six months of 2024, just 3% below 2019 levels.

Paris continues to be the world’s most powerful city destination, with accommodation data from WTTC Knowledge Partner, CoStar, revealing that occupancy rates in the French capital surpassed 2019 levels in the first half of 2023 for over half of hotel classes.

In 2024, other French cities are expected to be popular attractions for foreign visitors, with Nice among the top-performing European cities, anticipating international arrivals to reach 94% of pre-pandemic levels.

France is increasingly appealing to Spanish and Canadian travelers, with international arrivals exceeding 2019 levels by more than 64% and 54%, respectively.

Irish and South Korean travelers are also returning to France in large numbers, with visitor numbers up from 2019 levels by 19% and 16%, respectively.

Travelers to France are not only returning in greater numbers but are also spending more money, with bookings of premium cabins witnessing a surge of 21% compared to pre-pandemic levels in the first half of the year.

In the previous year, WTTC’s Economic Impact Research (EIR) projected that the French Travel & Tourism sector is expected to grow at an average of 3% annually over the next decade, double the 1.5% annual growth rate of the country’s overall economy, reaching more than €297 billion (9.7% of the total economy).

The forecast also revealed that the Travel & Tourism sector in France is anticipated to create more than 555,000 jobs in the next 10 years, averaging nearly 56,000 new jobs every year, leading to nearly 3.3 million employed within the sector by 2033.

« Back to Page