The consequences of COVID-19 on summer holidays

TOURISM AND COVID-19 IN A FEW FIGURES

The mountain, summer paradise

SOME KEY FIGURES ON THE IMPACT OF COVID-19

• 99% of professionals believe that the French will fly less and will stay in France, even in an ultra local environment this summer.
• 71% of professionals believe that the presence of foreigners should decrease significantly over the coming months.
• 61% of French people who postpone their trips abroad towards a local trip in France this summer are interested in visiting the mountains according to a recent survey. Even if the seaside coast remains ahead with 76% and the countryside behind with 58%, the mountain is gaining success in the French minds and its wide open spaces are gaining market share facing competition.
• 40 billion is the loss of French tourism per quarter during this crisis announces the world tourism organization. As the world’s leading tourist destination, France is primarily affected by this crisis. A loss of revenue from the tourism sector (including outside international) of around 40 billion euros over three months. For information the sector generates for all french territories about 170 billion euros each year of tourism turnover, between international and French tourists.
• The weight of summer before Covid-19: with more than 100 million merchant nights, the mountain is the second area frequented by the French from June to September.
• Professionals in the tourism sector estimate that the crisis will have a 40% impact on their turnover. In the mountains, operators lost the end of the winter season and the Easter holidays representing 5 to 10% of turnover according to professionals.

The mountains, the place to be, easy access for all

Geographically mountain access for French people is quite simple. Most have a altitude destination near their home, so the escape is a maximum of 3 hours’ drive.
Economically the average expense of mountain stays in summer is around € 344 per stay per person.
Sportively the mountain offers 95% of its outdoor activities, activities open to everyone, between walking, cycling or other outdoor activities. (climbing, rafting, etc.)
90% of visitors in the mountains over summer come from France or nearby regions, so the mountains has already a good clientele of national customers who will surely be there this summer. On the other hand, some resorts like Chamonix are afraid of the future with normally 50% of foreign customers visiting each summer season.

BACK TO BASICS FOR MONTAGNARD COMMUNICATION

The mountain must play its best cards this summer, no need to show the big game with all the panoply of last generation activities. Tourist resorts must highlight their best asset… Nature. The root activities will find their place back, hiking, picnic by the lake, contemplate the flora and fauna, tour of the regional massifs and participate to local activities and culture, in short the return to basics with a big breath of fresh air.

At a time when composing a summer vacation seems complicated, mountain tourism players are keen to do what is necessary to position their Alpine massifs in pole position for French destination this summer.

Accommodation in the mountains will also be the one with the highest capacity. Second homes represent 70% of the beds. A capacity generally stretched in winter during school holidays but not very optimised and used in summer. The resorts therefore offer a large capacity to accommodate tourism in summer with various accommodation offers such as apartments, chalets, camping or even in altitude huts.
The question of the rules regarding the distancing linked to the Coronavirus in certain cases of accommodation such as inns, shelters or summer camps remains unclear and the directives remain pending.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND THE SUMMER SEASON IN THE MOUNTAINS
This summer, the situation could be favorable for the postponement of the holidays and could in fact spread the season over September. Many mountain communities have been looking for a long time for how to increase the season periods and in particular the summer season, it may be that tourism players are brainwashing themselves to ensure loyalty of local customers and ultimately gain in attendance in September and why not in October.

An opportunity to establish summers over 3 or 4 months, think about the diversification of the offer and activities in the mountains, develop school reception, seminars … In short! as everyone noticed during this complicated period, everyone finds new ideas, innovates, reinvents and tries to act with the constraints imposed.
Why not take advantage of these moments to reflect on the establishment of new trends for the future of mountain tourism?

Finally, the holidays come in third position of the French projects after visiting family or friends and consuming. It’s also 6 out of 10 French people who are likely to leave, but 2/3 remain to be convinced.
In the meantime, reservations are shy for most players, large or small, the trend for this summer will be more on last minute reservations, which will be expected in June. However when the sea shows -50% of filling whereas usually the reservations jostle, the alpine sector has all the chances on its side.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND THE SUMMER SEASON

This summer, the situation could be favorable for the postponement of the holidays and could in fact spread the season over September. Many mountain resorts have been looking for a long time how to extend the seasons and in particular the summer season, local professionals should take advantage of the situation to brainstorm and find solutions to ensure customers’ loyalty in order to increase business in September and why not in October.

An opportunity to establish summers over 3 or 4 months by finding diversification of the offer and activities, developing school hosting, seminars … In short ! as everyone noticed during this complicated period, everyone finds new ideas, innovates, reinvents and tries to cope with the constraints imposed.
Why not take advantage of the crisis to set new trends for the future of mountain tourism ?

Finally, holidays come in third position of French people projects after visiting family or friends and purchasing. It’s also 6 out of 10 French people who are likely to go on holidays, but 2/3 remain to be convinced.
In the meantime, reservations are very shy for most tourism players, large or small, the trend for this summer will be more on a last minute basis, bookings will be expected in June. However when the summer seaside tourism trend shows -50% of occupancy the it should be booming, the alpine sector seems to have all chances on its side.