Mr. Bernard Kleynhoff and Mr. Yves Grosso, respectively presidents of the CCI NCA and UPE 06, provided us with the economic results for the Alpes-Maritimes for the first half of 2011. Although the results are good, this is largely thanks to tourism.
How far away the level of 2007-2008 seems! Despite good results, the pre-crisis economic health is just a distant memory. Even the recovery that was beginning to take shape has experienced a “marked slowdown” according to Bernard Kleynhoff: “we are not at the levels we were entitled to expect. Overall, things remain good, except in services, where we note a slight decline.”
In terms of alarming figures, there is a 17% increase in unemployment for people aged 50 and over. The duration of unemployment is also extending in parallel: +16.5% for durations longer than a year, +28% for unemployment of 2 years or more. An increase that can be explained by the attractiveness of the department. Paradoxical but logical, if we consider that those hired to come to the A-M bring spouses with them. In total, there were nearly 50,000 unemployed on July 1, a figure not seen for 6 years.
Regarding the wavering morale of business owners and the French, Yves Grosso was reassuring. “Greece represents only 3% of the EU’s GDP. France has the most solid banks in Europe. The ongoing economic war is fierce, the United States are in trouble so they ‘point fingers at neighbors, attempting to destabilize Europe.’ ‘We must understand that all the major banks have the capacity to repay Greece’s debt in a quarter, one must remain optimistic, it is the best way to combat uncertainty.’”
Tourism, a Real Driver
In technology and communications, there is a 4% decrease. This comes from other businesses since, in this international market, everything reverberates very quickly. There is a “competition of territories and attractiveness that affects large groups. They still need to invent the latest generation of modern electronics.” However, the workforce remains stable… for the time being.
The level of wholesale trade delivery is very good. But “the lack of strength in consumption, the competition from the internet weighs heavily on this sector. The sales were a terrible disappointment.” We should also note the end of car scrappage bonuses.
In services, business owners fear a withdrawal abroad. Export can weigh heavily on them: “there is less visibility as order books fill more slowly and deadlines are shorter.” The life sciences sector is doing well, with an 8% increase, and employment up by 30%.
Tourism remains, as always, a source of satisfaction. Foreigners represent 55% of tourists, an increase of 2%, and there is a noted increase in Anglo-Saxon visitors, which was sometimes lacking. As has been the case for nearly 30 years, cruising is regularly increasing, +3% this year. With 474,000 passengers, this sector has been spared by the crisis.
Airport traffic saw an increase of 9.2% compared to last year, with 7.2 million passengers from January to August. And it will continue at a frantic pace this winter with 10 new routes: 40 airlines will serve 66 destinations in 26 countries. Enough to ensure continuity in all seasons for this healthy sector, the true engine of the Riviera economy.
