During the press conference on the economic impact of Covid-19 and the recovery plan, Jean-Pierre Savarino, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Nice Côte d’Azur, presented the report and outlook for tourism following the health crisis.
Following a survey conducted with 1,500 companies, the findings are severe: the projected revenue in the tourism sector in the region is -46% in 2020 compared to 2019, with a staffing decrease of 18%. The main difficulties faced by companies are a decline in demand (-64%) compared to last year and a cash flow deficit increasing by 38%. Consequently, 18% of companies linked to tourism are considering reducing their staff by the end of the year.
State aid, notably through partial unemployment, has been crucial for businesses. Indeed, 77% of them foresee stability in their staffing by the end of the year. However, companies fear the end of these measures. But, as Jean-Pierre Savarino, president of the CCI Nice Côte d’Azur, points out, “business leaders know how to react and reorganize; 37% of them think they will return to normal activity by the end of the year, 25% by the first half of 2021.”
To support companies in light of the crisis, a tool, the Sirius Economic Observatory, is available to local authorities. It is an interactive data visualization solution on the impact of Covid-19 on the economy in the PACA Region.
Michel Chevillon, Vice-President of the CCI Nice Côte d’Azur, estimates a revenue loss of 1.5 billion euros in 2020 with 150,000 jobs at stake. This is why a communication campaign was launched this summer for tourism on the Côte d’Azur: “the goal of this campaign is for the inhabitants of the Alpes-Maritimes to consume local products, to stay here in the region, not to spend their vacations elsewhere,” he states. “Digital billboards are present on the roads of Nice, on certain urban furniture in Antibes, on the trams, and others also in the city of Cannes. You will always find a photo with a child having fun, for example, eating the best ice cream in France,” he adds with a laugh.
“We recently learned that nightclubs will be reopening. If people can do what they want again, they will feel liberated, and this will be felt in our economy. But let’s be cautious and continue to respect the safety measures,” he concludes.
