France is Tops in Tourism

 

The numbers keep coming in and it looks like France still holds the distinction of being the most popular tourist destination in the world.

In the past three decades, France has consolidated its reputation as the global leading travel market thanks to an incredibly rich tourism offer, ranging from the world-famous attractions of Paris to the picturesque towns in the Alps and of course, the French Riviera.

Aside from the strong contribution of domestic visitors, generating around two-thirds of travel and tourism spending in France, the country is known for being the most visited global destination by inbound tourists.

Despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, France maintained the top spot in the ranking of countries with the highest number of international tourist arrivals worldwide, with arrivals bouncing back to nearly 80 million in 2022. And so far in 2023, there have been 90 million tourists who have visited France according to its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Although there is a regional feeling the rush of people the last two years has been due to Covid-19 restrictions being lifted and that 2024 might be a calmer, “back to normal” year, France’s popularity is unlikely to wane according to GlobalData, a respected London-based analytics and consulting firm, as they predict a 12% jump in international arrivals from 2022 to 2025 that could equal a mind-blowing 94 million people each year.

In a recent International Tourist Satisfaction Survey organized by the French government, the country scored highly for its warm welcome, accommodation options, cultural and leisure facilities, and, of course, gastronomy.

With that in mind, we have been telling anyone planning a trip here to book your chalet or villa rentals as early as possible before you travel. As a benefit to you, booking early means a wider selection of properties in the location you are interested in and with better rates. Because as an area continues to book up, the requirements you desire may have to become lower and rate wars can even begin to happen due to owners being inundated with requests during the same time requested. And we want only the best rates for you for your vacation.

 

As a side note, while there are many places to enjoy and discover throughout the Cote d’Azur and Monaco. Every year we encounter visitors who are trying to cram in as much as possible in their itinerary.

Frankly, it's not a good way to travel, not only in France but in any other country. We see people who have tried to cover every base during their trip here looking exhausted from taking public transit, waiting in lines, and staring at their phones the whole time as their guide instead of taking in the local scenery while rushing to get from place to place to then only having enough time to take a couple of photos so they are at least able to tell people back home they’ve been there.

By the end of it all, it seems to become a blur and they don’t recognize where they might have been.

What I am trying to say is, that when planning your trip, we are here to help guide you by learning what your interests are before your arrival. The French Riviera offers so much to see and do, that it’s best to pick a few prime locations to visit and build upon your trip once here.

Take the time to see how the locals live in each area, taste the food, relax on a beach, swim in the sea, hike the mountains, and experience as much of the culture as possible.

For your first visit here, it’s best to take your time to truly get a feel for the region. Then you will have real stories to tell friends and family back home. The Cote d’Azur seems to linger within one even after you are gone, enticing you back to discover even more about the region and it’s not going anywhere soon, so we hope you will visit again.