12 February 2016

2016- n° 37

In Q4 2015, the number of tourism nights declined (−1.7% year-on-year) Tourism occupancy in hotels, campsites and holiday and other short-stay accommodation in metropolitan France - 4th quarter 2015

In the fourth quarter of 2015, throughout metropolitan France, the number of overnight stays in tourist collective accomodation fell down sharply compared to the same period in 2014 (−1.7%). After three consecutive quarters of growth, this decline resulted from the effects of the terrorist attacks of 13 November in Paris and Saint-Denis. Overnight stays decreased mainly due to foreign customer.

While the fourth quarter had started with rise in tourism nights in line with that recorded in the previous quarters, the terrorist attacks of 13 November stopped this upward trend in the agglomeration of Paris. In hotels, occupancy declined overall by 6.8% and more for foreign customers (−9.8%). In HOSSA, the decrease was even stronger (−12.2%), driven down by the fall of foreign customers (−36.6%).

The decline was more marked in December than in November, as tourism nights fell only in the second half.

The number of nights spent in hotels declined in Q4 (−1.3% year-on-year after +3.3%). Overnight stays of foreign customer slipped down sharply (−5.7% after +4.2%).

Tourism nights declined above all in the agglomeration of Paris. Outside the Paris region, on the contrary, the occupancy was more resilient.

The room occupancy rate decreased by 1.7 points year-on-year to stand at 53.3%, on account of the sharp fall of their marketing, in conjunction with a slight rise in rooms offered.

Stays in HOSSA dropped markedly in Q4 2015 (−3.0% year-on-year), contrasting with the sharp increase in Q3 (+4.1%). Nights spent in tourist or hotel residences which represent the bulk of the HOSSA occupancy, fell sharply (−4.5%) due to foreign customers disaffection (−18.9%).

The downward impact in the agglomeration of Paris was even stronger than for hotels. Overnight stays in mountain area appeared to suffer from the mild weather in December. The number of rental accomodation in HOSSA fell more sharply than supply. As a result, the occupancy rate (50.8%) decreased by 1.1 points.

Compared to previous publication. the variation of the number of overnight stays in HOSSA in Q3 2015 were lowered by 0.2 points (+4.1% instead of +4.3%) due to the integration of data known in the meantime. It is unchanged for hotels and campsites.