Despite the complicated budgetary context, the majority of French people believe that the Christmas holiday remains a priority.
The Christmas holiday remains sacred to the French. Despite inflation and rising prices, more than one in two French people intend to go on holiday at the end of the year, as Tourism Minister Olivia Grégoire said on Tuesday.
55% of French people intend to go on holiday at the end of December, including 77% of those who plan to stay in France, according to the minister. The average budget would reach 371 euros per person, which corresponds to previous years.
“It’s a moment to keep, no matter what”
Despite this inflationary context, the Christmas holidays remain a priority for many families, even if the budget is increasingly tight, as with Jean-Paul.
“We’re going to Ireland because half the family, on my wife’s side, is Irish. It’s a moment that we have to keep, no matter what, and that we’ve been kind of robbed of for two years. with Covid. We’ll also make a small effort (to finance),” he explains.
His family has booked cheap flights well in advance and says they are making an effort for food. Claire also sacrifices on hobbies and outings. “I might spend a little differently, but vacation plans are really incompressible. I’m digging into my savings, but I want to get away,” she confides to us.
77% of holidaymakers plan to go to France. With relatives, but also in accommodation. Good news for the rental site Particulier à Particulier, run by Corinne Jolly.
“The trend at the moment is quite encouraging with a booking level that is +35% compared to the pre-Covid period. The subject of these holidays remains the budget more than the destination”, she assures.
“All territories are of interest to holidaymakers, not just the coasts or the mountains”, affirms the Ministry of Tourism.
Jean-Pierre Mas, president of the union of travel companies, comes to temper these ardors this Wednesday at the RMC. He considers these Christmas intentions to be “pretty good news”, but warns: “You have to be careful. I don’t fully share this euphoria, because it is declarative. The intention will not necessarily come true at the start”, he nuances.