France Market Overview

The Unites States remain one of French visitors top long-haul destination choices in 2023 and the leading summer destination with a forecasted 1.55 million travelers (18% increase compared to 2022). The post-crisis leisure revenge travel trend remains strong as flight capacity resumes to 100%, Air France even setting an all-time record-high seat offer of 108% compared to 2019. Most tour operators and travel agencies have doubled their activity results and are welcoming back their repeating clientele. 2021 and 2022 last-minute booking trends are now giving way to more anticipated projects, seeing the 180+ day search window lengthen and increase by 30% in the first semester. The number of French consumers booking their summer break through a professional travel company (online and offline travel agencies, tour operators and group specialists) is subsequently up (+6%) compared to 2022, showing a constant growing need for reassurance, service add-ons and flexible policies. However, the inflationary context is forcing many French people to make compromises with the average summer travel basket up by 32% compared to 2019, enhances by a significant increase in air fares, the choice to upgrade the quality of purchased services and sometimes prefer one longer stay to several short breaks. A consequently positive trend indicates that the USA’s average travel window seems to expand, now running from late February to mid-November, as opposed to April to September, offering more affordable options to visitors willing to target shoulder seasons.

44% of sounded out French travelers are likely to travel to the USA within the next two years, placing cultural and historical attractions (57%) at the top of their travel motivations, followed by urban attractions (56%), local lifestyle (52%), dining and gastronomy (48%) and beachside leisure moments (45%). With an average 7 to 13-night project for 39% of them and a 14 to 20 night-project for 36% others, the Travel South USA destinations are the perfect match for repeaters looking for authenticity, self-reconnexion and life-long memory-making vacations. Known as “experience-seekers”, French visitors expect in-depth content suggestions (civil rights, music history, story-telling locals and more), customized travel tips and a new conception of lodging where world-class comfort meets sustainability. As Green Travel slowly becomes a worldwide norm, the South is recognized by French visitors and professionals as the most preserved area in the USA and gathers the assets to convince future travelers not just to visit but to experience, especially when addressing the next prominent generations of travelers like Millennials and Gen Z.

Travel is also source of well-being for 96% of French people, aware of the importance of taking care of themselves on a daily basic and many find a way to preserve it through travel. The South promotes a better living through year-round escape opportunities while enjoying wide-open spaces, unique mountain trails, untouched coastal gems and family-gathering outdoor activities.

Economical update
In 2023, France is the 7^th largest economy in the world with a $2.78 trillion GDP. Despite the challenging geopolitical context, the inflation rate remains stable with an average +5.1% so far this year (vs. an average 5.2% in 2022). Both the business and the employment climate remain stable. In 2022, despite the sharp slowdown in activity, the purchasing power of disposable income increased by +0.2%. the GDP per capita increased by 2.5% at $38,046.

In-Market Representatives

B World Communication 
28 rue de I’Amiral Hamelin
75116 Paris France
+33 6 83 65 25 21
www.bworldcommunication.com

Barbara Boltoukhine, Founder & Managing Director, [email protected]
Yohann Robert, Account Director, [email protected]

Public Relations 

Expert in media relations with a strong knowledge of the media and its long-standing and trusted relationships with the press, B World Communication accompanies Travel South USA on its strategy of influence for extensive media coverage.

To promote Travel South USA, to make it stand out from rivals, to attract customers, and to generate destination awareness we publish a monthly press release and a monthly media newsletter to our press database of 3000 contacts with an average opening rate of 25 to 30%.

GPP France Coverage – FY23/24

Marketing & Sales Activities 

B World Communication is leading a mix Trade and Consumer global strategy that keeps adapting as market trends evolve.  B2B2C campaigns and Consumer-oriented actions with top-tier targeted trade and media partners allow Travel South USA to spend more in digital marketing and online content creation while reinforcing key pillars through year-round long partnerships. Other activities consist in a constant business watch to seize any opportunity to bring more visibility to the southern states and build strong ambassador-like partnerships with the trade-industry selling partners, Airlines, and with Visit USA in France. Through joint actions such as staff training, Co-op, Consumer shows, International Showcase and Global Media Summit recruitment, monthly newsletters and press releases, B World Communication actively urges French visitors to discover the South.