All Saints' Day holidays: how to explain the increase in bookings this year?

Antoine Terrel 1:49 p.m., October 23, 2021

INTERVIEW

Six weeks after the end of the summer, many French people hit the road this Saturday to go on vacation, on the first weekend of the All Saints holidays. And on the side of tourism professionals, we note a high attendance, up compared to last year, marked by the coronavirus epidemic. The Gîtes de France, for example, posted an occupancy rate of 41%, or 6 points more than last year, while the Siblu group, European leader in outdoor accommodation, recorded an increase of 23 % of bookings compared to the 2020 holidays. But how to explain these good figures? Guest of Europe 1, Didier Arino, Managing Director of Protourisme, gave his insight. 

For Didier Arino, "there are several phenomena". First of all, "a phenomenon of catching up, because the French could not leave until the summer holidays". The second element, continues the specialist, "is that it is the first time, for those who usually go abroad, that they can find their way back to destinations, especially European ones, in complete safety and without too much trouble. health checks ". Finally, "there is a phenomenon of catching up and a pressing need on the part of some of our fellow citizens to get some fresh air, to take a break and to take the path to nature destinations with a desire to favor the big ones. spaces, whether on the coast, in the countryside or in the mountains. " 

"There is a return to the hotel industry"

Overall, the numbers look good.

"When we see the occupancy rates in seaside resorts, but also in rural areas, we really have a craze for accommodation formulas that allow this distance," explains Didier Arino.

"This is the case with Gîtes de France, furnished apartments, but there is also a great craze for tourist residences."

Thus, "an operator like Vacanceol has an occupancy rate of more than 65% the first week and 60% the second. And it works very well for all the players", develops the guest from Europe 1. 

Other good news: there is "a return to the hotel industry", while hoteliers "have been very strongly impacted" by the Covid-19 crisis. "It is a sector which has lost more than 100 billion euros in turnover since the start of confinement. And there, we have an appetite from our fellow citizens and a return from European customers ... It is a very good thing ", rejoices Didier Arino. "It helps extend the summer."

"There was hardly any significant drop in attendance after a good month of July-August. We also had a good month of September," concludes Didier Arino.

"The players were very surprised by the occupancy rates in October, with a double clientele both leisure clients, especially seniors or young people who had left less this summer, and the return of a clientele. business affairs that need to come together, including in seaside areas. "