A number of factors have impacted France’s appeal as a holiday destination for UK travellers in the past year. Mintel’s UK Holidays to France Market Report 2023 explores opportunities for the holidays to France market and what consumers want and why. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest trends and consumer behaviours affecting your industry.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- How the increased cost of living is impacting the recovery of holidays taken by UK residents to France.
- Participation and future interest in holidays to France compared to other overseas destinations.
- Types of holidays, accommodation and modes of transport used for holidays to France.
- Main attractions of France as a holiday destination.
- Barriers to visiting France for a holiday.
Holidays to France – UK Market Overview
The volume of holidays taken to France is yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels, with an estimated 6.5 million visits in 2023, still 9% below the 2019 level. Despite this, France is still the second most visited overseas holiday destination behind Spain.
Challenges at the border due to post-Brexit changes and protests in the destination have affected France’s appeal, as these are among the most cited barriers to visiting the destination. On a positive note, the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will provide the opportunity to generate positive media attention.
Opportunities for the Holidays to France Market
Attract a larger share of the growing older population
Compared to key competing European destinations, the profile of holidaymakers to France is skewed towards a younger demographic. Due to the ageing population, the older segment offers more opportunities for growth. Over-55s are more likely to be attracted to France’s cultural attractions, relaxed atmosphere and rural landscape within a short distance from the UK.
Promote secondary cities and multi-centre holidays
When targeting the UK market, there is a need to inspire travellers to explore cities beyond Paris as the city welcomed about half of UK travellers who visited France in the past five years. Suggesting alternatives when travellers search for city breaks to Paris or providing more information at the time of booking can help. Over a quarter of UK travellers would be interested in information that shows how busy a destination usually is during the time they plan to visit.
Purchase our full report for a comprehensive analysis of the Holidays to France market, and explore more opportunities for growth. Readers of this report may also be interested in our extensive Holidays and Travel Market Research Reports.
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Expert Insights from a Travel Industry Analyst
This report, written by Marloes De Vries, a leading Travel Industry analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the UK Holidays to France market and add expert context to the numbers.
France is challenged by its expensive image, but the widening gap in travellers’ budgets brings opportunities to promote both low-cost and boutique accommodation.
Marloes De Vries
Travel Analyst
Collapse All
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- Key issues covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities for the holidays to France market
- Market dynamics and outlook
- What consumers want and why
- Graph 1: holiday destinations visited in the last five years, 2023
- Graph 2: types of holiday taken in France in the past five years, 2023
- Graph 3: main types of holiday accommodation used in France over the past five years, 2017, 2019 and 2023
- Graph 4: main attractions of a holiday in France, 2023
- Graph 5: reasons for not taking a holiday in France in the next five years, 2023
- Innovation and marketing
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Market Dynamics
- Market size
- Graph 6: volume of holidays to France taken by UK residents, 2017-23
- Graph 7: value of holidays to France taken by UK residents, 2017-23
- Market forecast
- Market segmentation
- Market share
- Macro-economic factors
- Graph 8: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-23
- Graph 9: the financial confidence index, 2016-23
- Graph 10: spending priorities if financial situation significantly improved, 2023
- Graph 11: annual average sterling exchange rate to euro, 2013-23
- Graph 12: average unleaded petrol fuel pump prices on a weekly basis, 2019-23
- Social, environmental and legal factors
- Holiday bookings and booking intentions
- Graph 13: holiday bookings in the last three months, 2018/19-2022/23
- Graph 14: plans to book a holiday in the next three months, 2018/19-2022/23
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Holidays taken to France
- Graph 15: holiday destinations visited in the last five years, 2023
- Graph 16: demographic profile of those who have taken a holiday in the past five years, by destination, 2023
- Graph 17: parts of France visited for a holiday*, 2023
- Types of holidays taken
- Graph 18: types of holiday taken in France in the past five years, 2023
- Graph 19: types of holiday taken in France in the past five years, 2019 and 2023
- Graph 20: types of holiday taken in France in the past five years, by age, 2023
- Types of accommodation used
- Graph 21: types of holiday accommodation used in France over the past five years, 2023
- Graph 22: main types of holiday accommodation used in France over the past five years, 2017, 2019 and 2023
- Graph 23: types of holiday accommodation used in France over the past five years, 2017, 2019 and 2023
- Modes of transport used
- Future interest in holidays to France
- Graph 24: destinations people are likely to visit for a holiday in the next five years, 2023
- Graph 25: participation vs future intention to take a holiday in France, 2023
- Attractions of France
- Graph 26: main attractions of a holiday in France, 2023
- Graph 27: main attractions of a holiday in France, by age, 2023
- Barriers to visiting France for a holiday
- Graph 28: reasons for not taking a holiday in France in the next five years, by age, 2023
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Innovation And Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and innovation
- Advertising and marketing activity
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Appendix
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Methodology
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