Violence causes tourism bookings to fall in France
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Defimedia
Violence and damage on 17 October led to cancellations at tourist accommodation in Paris, Lyon and Marseille, while Paris hotels almost lost their booking lead for 2025. The decline is particularly affecting the following six weeks, according to tourism professionals quoted by AFP.
Hotel bookings in Paris have almost lost their lead over 2025 for the six weeks following the violence that occurred in France on 17 October. The share of rooms already booked for stays from 20 October to 29 November fell from a 1-point lead to 0.2 points between 19 and 20 October, according to MKG Consulting.
For the week of 20 to 25 October, Paris’s lead over the previous year fell to 1.9 points on Tuesday, from 3.5 points the previous day. The slowdown is particularly affecting short-term stays and high-end establishments, the firm said. Cancellations have been reported in Paris, Lyon and Marseille, according to Didier Arino, managing director of consultancy Protourisme.
Christelle Chassagne, president of ADN Tourisme, which brings together the sector’s institutional organisations, said scenes of violence in several major cities risked damaging France’s image and causing cancellations. Countries that supply visitors, including China, have called on their nationals to exercise greater vigilance when travelling in France.
The situation recalls the slowdown observed in December 2018 during the “yellow vest” movement. According to Insee, hotel occupancy then fell by 1.2% year on year in metropolitan France, by 3% in Île-de-France and by 5.6% in Paris.
These figures add to concerns already reported on 19 October about the impact of the riots on tourism. On 20 October, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu also acknowledged intelligence failures.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
