If Corsica and Brittany have always been frequented destinations during the summer, other regions are managing to do well for these holidays made so special by the Covid-19 epidemic. The forests of the Creuse, the small villages of Corrèze, the Aveyron plateaus are causing a sensation, as are the waterfalls and lakes of the Jura. At the microphone of Europe 1 on Saturday, the director of Jura tourisme, Jean-Pascal Chopard, spoke of an unprecedented number of guest houses and homestays in the department: "We have historically high occupancy rates, 100 % over the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August, ”he said.
>> READ ALSO - Tourism: "We see a revenge of the countryside", assures the CEO of Airbnb
Summer seemed uncertain, but many regions are seeing a "rush" towards the countryside and the mountains. But what makes this summer 2020 so unique is the over-representation of the French among tourists. According to Jean-Pascal Chopard, "national clienteles" support tourist activity. Above all, these visitors come from neighboring departments of Jura as well as from more distant regions such as the North or the Paris region. "[They] saw in the Jura the opportunity of an accessible destination, with unspoiled unspoiled nature, a form of authentic tourism", he enthuses.
Foreign tourists are also back
But the director of Jura tourism also says that foreign tourists have recently made their return alongside the French, during the last two weeks of July. "We have seen a lot of foreign customers, Dutch and German, who have come to consolidate this attendance."
Recalling the blow suffered by the hotel and catering industry during confinement, Jean-Pascal Chopard shares his joy at seeing activity resume: "Today, we are very satisfied to see consumers revisiting these forms of accommodation at the overnight stay and on short stays as well. This is a very positive element. "