Just one month ahead of the Summer Olympics, traveler interest in France continues to rise. According to Amadeus business intelligence data as of June 6, 2024, international air travel to France is up 56% for the Olympic period between July 24 and August 13, while domestic air travel is up 31%.
All host cities will benefit from the Olympic and Paralympic games
Paris is already one of the world’s top tourist destinations, but during the Summer Olympics, the City of Light is expecting 72% more travelers than the same time last year. The Paralympics, between August 28 and September 8, will also boost travel to Paris by 16%, with special interest from travelers from the United States, Spain and Canada.
For the northern city of Lille, which is hosting basketball and handball, visitors will more than quadruple – overall bookings to Lille are up an astounding 203% compared to last summer. Most of these visitors will be from France: the city will see 300% growth in domestic travelers, compared to 181% growth in international travelers.
Meanwhile, overall bookings to Bordeaux, which is hosting football, are up by 38%, the same increase as bookings to Marseille, which is hosting sailing and football.
Where are travelers coming from?
Domestic travel within France is showing a substantial increase of 31% compared to the same time last year, but most of the growth comes from international travelers from all over the world with a 56% increase.
Ranking of origin country based on air booking volumes
| Rank | Country |
| 1 | United States |
| 2 | Japan |
| 3 | Canada |
| 4 | Great Britain |
| 5 | Germany |
| 6 | Algeria |
| 7 | Italy |
| 8 | Korea |
| 9 | Spain |
| 10 | Brazil |
Graph data is data is made of all air passengers booked through the main global distribution systems (GDSs), pulled as of June 6, 2024
- In Paris, most travelers will be coming from the United States, Japan and Canada.
- Down south, Marseille will be seeing many Americans, while up north in Lille, Algerians will be joined by a strong British presence.
- In Bordeaux, the British and the Americans will also have a strong showing.
- Nice and Lyon will see more Americans and Germans.
- In Nantes, Germans and Canadians will have the biggest footprint.
Hotel occupancy rates are on the rise
According to Amadeus’ Demand360+® business intelligence data recorded on May 31, occupancy rates in France for the week of July 28 is up 86% compared to the same week last year, and up 88% the first week of August.
In Paris, hotels are almost full. The occupancy rate is 81% the week of July 28 and 76% the week of August 4. Last minute planners may have a hard time finding a room in the weeks to come.
In Lille, hotel occupancy rates are at 56% for the week of July 28 and 35% for the first week of August, that’s 171% and 91% higher than for the same periods last year. In Marseille, occupancy rates are nearing 70% the last week of July, and 57% the first week of August – that’s more than double the occupancy rates compared to the same time in 2023.
When it comes to alternative accommodations, like Airbnb, nights sold in Paris are up 64% for the Olympics dates and up 74% for the Paralympics dates, compared to the same periods last year.
With more than 50% of hotel bookings made 0-14 days ahead of a stay, last-minute travelers may be in for a surprise. Right now, the average daily rate (ADR) is down 13% in Paris at 724$US, and down 7% at 616$US in the rest of France, compared to a previous analysis on April 1, 2024
With flight bookings and occupancy rates way higher than average throughout Paris and the other Olympic and Paralympic host cities throughout the country, the hospitality sector in France is in for a busy summer season.
