While tourism generates 180 billion euros in revenue in France, 60 billion of which comes from foreigners, these figures are being reduced a little more drastically every day because of the coronavirus. The Secretary of State for Tourism, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, estimates at least 30 to 40 billion euros "the immediate impact" of the health crisis on the sector, in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche .
Turnover down 20 to 25%
To justify these forecasts, the Secretary of State emphasizes that part of the international clientele "has disappeared". “Many operators tell us that their turnover will be down 20 to 25% at the end of the year,” he adds.
With the absence of foreigners, it is the population who has the future of the sector in their hands. And on this point, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne is rather optimistic. He observes that "the French participate massively in the revival of the tourism sector by favoring France" and underlines that 7 out of 10 of those who went on vacation have chosen France. “Blue, white and red summer is here,” he says. "This saves the essential," said the Secretary of State. "But let's be clear: in normal times, France welcomes 17 million foreign tourists every summer when 9 million French go abroad".
A fragile recovery
However, the Secretary of State considers "encouraging (...) that the intentions of Belgian, German, Italian and Spanish clienteles to leave for France for September are higher than for July and August", which would make it possible "to extend the summer "And" to consolidate the recovery of the sector ". He also welcomes "an encouraging month of July" and "hopes that August will be excellent" and the late season "in the colors of Indian summer". But “this recovery is fragile”, he adds, because “as soon as a cluster appears, the effect is immediate on cancellations of stays and reservations”.
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