Lthe month of April 2024 was a good month for tourism, and it suggests a promising summer: this, in summary, has been announced by Gironde Tourisme, the development group created by the Regional Council. Despite “sometimes unsettled” weather, hotels have seen their level of occupancy (read elsewhere). For May, reservations are up 9% compared to 2023. “And all the indicators are green for July and August,” announced Karine Desmoulin, president of the group.
Lthe month of April 2024 was a good month for tourism, and it suggests a promising summer: this, in summary, has been announced by Gironde Tourisme, the development group created by the Regional Council. Despite “sometimes unsettled” weather, hotels have seen their level of occupancy (read elsewhere). For May, reservations are up 9% compared to 2023. “And all the indicators are green for July and August,” announced Karine Desmoulin, president of the group.
The urban hotel industry is therefore registering a rebound, even if it did not return to the levels of 2019, the last year before the health crisis. This, however, is true for rentals and campsites, where we are even higher than the values for this year considered as a reference.
In short, tourists were not put off by the summer of 2022 and its big fires: we had already seen this in 2023; 2024 should prove this. “This disaster is no longer in people’s minds,” says Karine Desmoulin. It has changed the landscape, but there is no hesitation to come to Gironde. In general, professionals are satisfied with the last season. »
1,000 Gironde sites are named Vignobles et discoveries, a label that promotes wine tourism through activities such as tours, sports or accommodation.
Paul Moisson
even the Hostens crest lakes, under the influence of an underground fire from 2022, has reopened. “There are still security issues, which means we haven’t been able to re-open the walking or mountain bike trails that go into the forest, but all activities on and around the water are accessible again. »
“We are implementing a whole communication strategy around discovering vineyards, bike tours, hiking trails, lesser-known nature spots…”
New nature spaces
For the rest, Gironde continues to benefit from its usual assets: the coast, with its 126 kilometers of beaches, and Bordeaux, the Unesco periphery, its new facilities – Cité du vin, Bassins des Lumières, etc. – for do tourists come especially. No wonder these are the most requested sites.
“What we want now is to emphasize the rest of the land. We are implementing a full communication strategy about discovering vineyards, bike tours, hiking trails, little-known nature spots… Residents of Neo-Aquitaine represent more than half in tourist numbers. »
Gironde Tourisme wants to promote events such as Les Petits Baroudeurs, at Le Porge, a new festival focused on nature, to be followed as a family. Where is the “afterbeaches” organized in the Medoc on the model of “afterworks”: moments that are supposed to be holidays, around wine and gastronomy, after leaving the beach. In general, wine tourism continues, with an increasing number of so-called Vineyards and Discoveries (read elsewhere). In 2019 – there are no more recent figures – the activity represented six million annual visits for two million visitors.
Unlike what happened for the Rugby World Cup, the seven football matches scheduled at the Matmut stadium for the Olympic Games should not immediately affect tourist attendance. But they could have one in the summer of 2025.
Archives Guillaume Bonnaud/SO
The Olympics?
On the other hand, the group does not expect any special influence from the Olympic Games, while seven football matches will be held in Bordeaux from July 24 to August 2. “It’s when the tourist season is in full swing. The Spanish should have just more of a presence between July 27 and 31, during which time the men’s and women’s teams will play three matches at the Matmut Stadium. But otherwise, studies have shown that attendance increases in the year after the Olympics. People will find a site through the competition, they will come back to it later. »
Are there any dark spots in this rather exciting picture? Hotel occupancy is not entirely in line with this recovery trend. “People prefer to rent, with the ability to do their own cooking. Impact of the reduction in purchasing power. » For the same reason, the average time spent there went from a full week (Saturday to Saturday) to four or five days. And the customers for long flights are missing. “The Americans are coming back little by little but we won’t see the Asians anymore. »
At Bordeaux-Mérignac airport, bookings for arrivals are up 12% in July and 15% in August compared to 2023.
Guillaume Bonnaud/SO
Some numbers
66.7%. Hotel occupancy rate for the first three weeks of April, up 2.3% compared to the same period of 2023.
+20% The increase in accommodation on online platforms for August 2024 compared to 2023. For July, it is 10%.
+15%. Progress on reservations for arrivals to Bordeaux airport in August. For July, the increase is 12%.
+3%. Increase in bookings compared to 2019.
1 000 Gironde sites are named Vignobles et discoveries, a leaflet that comes from the State and promotes complementary tourism products: accommodation, catering, sports, tours, etc.
2024-05-01 12:57:35
#Tourism #Gironde #signs #green #summer
