Bumpy start to holiday season

Restaurants in some regions have reported a 30% drop in customers at the start of the holiday season.

In a study of 2,000 people, hospitality industry union l'Union des Métiers et des Industries de l'Hôtellerie this week reported cafes and restaurants had seen visitor numbers drop 20 % to 30 % depending on the region.

The hardest hit was the Bouches du Rhône area.

According to Le Figaro newspaper while some tourists have been spending more, (mainly the Russians, Americans and Saudis) this has not been enough to offset the drop in profits as French holidaymakers trim their budgets.

Tour operators have reported a 7% drop in reservations during June – a figure among many which show the holiday industry is flagging this season.

Hotels have not been as badly affected, with occupation levels in line for the season with a rise in last-minute bookings and a positive outlook for August.

The negative figures have also been tempered by a TNS-Sofres poll of 950 establishment (ranging from hotels, to campsites, restaurants and holiday homes) which said that 65% of professionals in the tourist industry said their business was either the same or better than last year.

The minister in charge of tourism, Hervé Novelli, said the start of the season had been ‘relatively good’.

Photo:Jturn