Tourism: France resists but international revenues fall by nearly 50%

International tourism receipts fell 49.4% from January to the end of July 2020 in France because of the coronavirus pandemic, but "attendance was overall better than expected" thanks to the mobilization of the French, according to a report presented Wednesday in the Council of Ministers.

>> LIVE -

 Coronavirus: follow the evolution of the situation Wednesday September 16

According to initial estimates from the Banque de France, these international revenues thus amounted to "16.7 billion euros against 33.1 billion euros" over the same seven-month period in 2019, according to the document. presented by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Secretary of State in charge of Tourism, of which AFP has had a copy.

More limited decline in France

These figures echo those published the day before by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) which reported a loss of 460 billion dollars for the sector in the first half of the year.

Regarding the spending of French people abroad from January to the end of July 2020, they reached "14.4 billion euros against 26.1 billion" last year, a decline of 44.7%, indicates the balance sheet.

CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS

> Covid-19: why the increase in the number of cases is greater than that of hospitalizations

> INVESTIGATION - Coronavirus: towards a new shortage of masks and gloves?

> Faced with the rebound of the Covid-19 epidemic, screening centers are overwhelmed

> Covid-19: what is a contact case and what to do when it is?

> Coronavirus: the 5 mistakes not to make with your mask

But in France, the expected drop in tourist spending in 2020, French and foreigners included, is more limited, between -30% and -35%, with "potential losses in overall tourism revenue" estimated over the year by Atout France to an amount "between 50 and 60 billion euros".

Because "the assessment of the summer tourist season 2020 shows that attendance in France was overall better than hoped for last spring, according to the document presented to the Council of Ministers.

Popular coastline and countryside

While the French have "massively stayed in France (94% of those who left remained in France)," France however resisted better than its neighbors, especially Spain and Italy, which recorded in July, first month of real recovery in international mobility, respectively with -75% in international traffic (...) for Spain, and -66% in foreign demand in Italy. ”In July in France, the decline was 41% in terms of international tourism receipts.

The level of tourist activity in July in France "increased late but noticeably from July 20 to achieve correct occupancy rates during the first two weeks of August in collective commercial accommodation", further notes the account- rendered.

The coastline and the countryside were the most popular, while Corsica, the overseas territories and the big cities were more neglected.