The City of Light has regained its tourists, who have come from all over the world, or almost all over. International air arrivals fell by only 10.9% in October 2022, compared to 2019, according to the Paris Tourism Barometer – despite the high hotel prices.
"American tourists came back this summer, with a strong purchasing power due to the weakness of the euro against the dollar," says Corinne Menegaux, director of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau (OTCP). This has partly compensated for the absence of Chinese tourists. The Europeans have begun their return in 2021.
For several months now, the hotel industry has been recovering, especially since events and business travel are picking up. In mid-September, the occupancy rate for the first ten days of October was over 65%.
Rising Hotel Prices
However, inflation is strong in the hotel industry. "Prices are continuing to rise in Paris, but also in other European capitals," says Corinne Menegaux, director of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau (OTCP). This is evidenced by the figures from KPMG.
In August alone, Paris is one of the European cities with the highest fare increase (+28.3% versus 2019), behind Frankfurt (+35.6%), Rome (+30.8%) and Milan (+30.2%).
The average price of a hotel room is certainly high in Greater Paris (154.4 euros), but it remains lower than in London (192.6 euros), Rome (176.3 euros) or Barcelona (171.1 euros). And it is not deterring travelers, for now, says Corinne Menegaux. "We are not seeing any signs of a slowdown in demand. In fact, the outlook is very positive for the holiday season.
The "Gueules de Paris" (Mouths of Paris)
To stimulate demand this fall, the OTCP is preparing the second edition of ParisLocal, organized from November 18 to 20, 2022. The aim is to promote local know-how and craftsmanship, particularly among local customers. Paris also relies on ambassadors of the French art of living. These are the "Gueules de Paris", who share their passions through videos and podcasts: chefs, craftsmen, bakers, designers...
Their testimonies are also a lever to get out of clichés like the Eiffel Tower, the Moulin Rouge, the baguette and the beret. Even if these iconic "clichés" are and will always be part of the city's identity.