“The summer season of 2019 is not yet over, but we can already assert that the Côte d’Azur is experiencing very sustained tourist activity.”
This was reported by the Côte d’Azur Regional Tourism Committee, chaired by the Mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, in a press release.
“The total number of arrivals and overnight stays will be comparable to that of the past two seasons. The changes are therefore rather of a qualitative nature,” is the summary of the barometer before detailing the key figures.
In the pre-summer season (April to June), attendance remained stable compared to 2018, with stronger French presence. June, in particular, was excellent on the coastline.
Hotel occupancy recorded a 1-point increase from May to July, with overnight stays up by 2.7%, compensating for the decline observed in tourist residences, whose offerings dropped significantly.
The rental of private accommodations through internet platforms, on the other hand, continued its strong growth, reaching about 20% of all visitors.
In the heart of summer, the months of July and August, tourist accommodations, including campgrounds, were very well occupied, at approximately 85% overall. August was nearly full with an average rate of 90% in urban hotels.
The hotel RevPAR increased by 5% on average in August (period from the 1st to the 25th), with +4% in Nice and +6% in Cannes, which offset the slight decline recorded in July’s RevPAR (-1%).
This summer, 48% of hotel overnight stays were in 4 or 5-star establishments, compared to 47% in 2018.
Museums and monuments saw an increase of 5%, and even 8% in parks and gardens along the coast, for entries recorded between April and July.
Foreign visitor attendance in accommodations remained nearly stable, while French clientele marked a 2% increase.
The foreign markets that recorded the most growth are Scandinavia (overnight stays +10%), Russia (+10%), and Japan (+21%). Italy, Spain, Eastern Europe excluding Russia, and Canada also showed a 6% increase.
Visitors arriving by plane increased by 3.5%, with +5% for domestic flights and +3% for international flights.
In the mountains, attendance at major sightseeing locations was positive in June and July, with increases of 12% and 13%, respectively.
