(1888PressRelease)
May 01, 2007 - France is the world’s first holiday destination; 76 million foreign visitors spent at least one night here in 2005; runners up are Spain with 55 million visitors and the USA with 49 million…
This of course does not include French tourists in their own country and 74% of the 49.5 million French residents over the age of 15 spent at least one night away from home in 2005 - while 64% spent more than four nights away, amounting to a total of 986.1 million “overnight” stays - 37% of which were in “commercial” accommodation (hotels, camp sites, holiday rentals). In total, 9% of all French tourists use holiday rentals for an average stay of 10 nights, a proportion that has been steadily increasing over the last two decades, generating a turnover of 4 523 million euros.
In 2005 there was a total of 1.5 billion overnight stays in France, the French making up 64% of these and foreigners 36%. The most visited region is Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur (13.9%), followed by Rhône-Alpes (11.2%) and the Paris region (10.4%).
Tourists from the UK and Ireland represent the highest proportion of foreign visitors (19.7%) followed by Germany (17.4%) Dutch (15.3%), Belgians (11.8% and Italians (9.5%). Not yet represented in the statistics are visitors emerging countries such as China and this is due to change dramatically in the near future…
In 2005, the tourism industry represented 6.4% of the gross national product generating over 108 billion euros of revenue.
Why are “tourism residences” so well suited to the needs of today’s holiday- makers?
Branding means that tourists know exactly what they will be getting for their money
The residences provide affordable accommodation for flexible periods of time
Self-catering - visitors get a genuine feel for the area by visiting local shops and markets; they become part of the local community and discover the local heritage
Choice of activities: in addition to the free facilities on offer in the tourist complex, visitors can enjoy a number of other outdoor activities depending on the region.
How do “tourism residences” answer the need for sustainable development in the tourism industry?
By preserving local expertise; tourism residences are built to last with quality materials traditionally used in the region
By providing a wide variety of jobs locally: direct and indirect employment opportunities in a number of different sectors
By encouraging responsible travellers to appreciate the local culture and mores and preserve the natural environment.
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