With the fall of tourism, it is the equivalent of Engie’s turnover which disappeared from the revenue of the French economy in 2020, due to the Covid. The year 2021 will not be enough to regain the previous rhythm.
The equivalent of Engie’s turnover
According to Atout France, tourism generated only 119 billion euros in turnover in France in 2020. This is a third less (61 billion) than in 2019. This is the equivalent of the figure of Engie’s business or twice that of Intermarché. However, in 2019 tourism represented 7.4% of wealth creation in France and more than two million jobs. The shock was cushioned by public aid, which Secretary of State Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne estimates at 16 billion already disbursed.
The West less badly off
Out of thirteen regions, Brittany, Pays de la Loire and Normandy resisted better and came in eighth, ninth and tenth position in terms of losses recorded. The worst off is the Ile de France, hit by 23.1 billion in shortfall. But it is all the same 2.2 billion turnover that disappeared in Brittany, 2 in Pays de la Loire and 1.9 in Normandy. In the second quarter alone, INSEE estimated that Brittany and Normandy had respectively lost 6,300 and 3,200 jobs in accommodation and catering.
No miracle in 2021
In tune with air transport forecasts, Atout France does not foresee a miracle from 2021: we will only recover 22 of the 61 billion evaporated. This will still leave a shortfall of around one billion in each of the three western regions. Each time, that’s the equivalent of 4,000 mid-sized restaurants.
Always more Europeans
These gloomy forecasts are found in the composition of the expected foreign clientele: European tourists represented 69% in 2019; they rose to 81% in 2020 for lack of Americans and Asians; they will climb to 89%, customers from distant origins having to be reluctant to take the plane.
A real-fake first place in the world
This is the first decline of such magnitude in France, where tourism has gone from 145 to 180 billion in ten years. France remains the world’s leading destination in terms of the number of foreign travelers (89 million), ahead of Spain and the United States.
However, in terms of expenditure generated, France is only third behind the United States and Spain. A challenge to take up. But times do not lend themselves to it. According to the World Tourism Organization, this sector has turned back thirty years, losing ten times more than during the 2009 crisis.
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