{"id":35882,"date":"2025-06-20T14:59:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T12:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/?p=35882"},"modified":"2026-09-11T14:36:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T12:36:50","slug":"summer-holiday-budget-france-household-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/consumption-minute\/summer-holiday-budget-france-household-travel","title":{"rendered":"Summer holidays: how are French households adapting their travel plans to tighter budgets?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The headline figure immediately shows the divide:&nbsp;<strong>one in two French people will not go on holiday this summer<\/strong>, primarily for budget reasons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the other half, a ten-day holiday requires an average budget of between&nbsp;<strong>\u20ac1,500 and \u20ac2,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is a significant amount, which explains why households who can afford to travel are carefully adjusting their destination and other elements of the trip rather than simply giving up holidays altogether.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What does this divide reveal about household purchasing power? How are European tourism flows changing? And what does holiday spending tell us about the real hierarchy of consumer priorities?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"iframe-wrapper\"><iframe title=\"Consumption Minute #8 | The impact of summer holidays in French households\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KlddK8rTXKQ?feature=oembed\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key figures on summer holiday budgets<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2013&nbsp;<strong>one in two French people<\/strong>&nbsp;will not go on holiday this summer, mainly for budget reasons<br>\u2013 an average budget of&nbsp;<strong>\u20ac1,500 to \u20ac2,000 for ten days<\/strong>&nbsp;for those who travel<br>\u2013 France remains the world\u2019s leading tourist destination, welcoming more than&nbsp;<strong>100 million visitors a year<\/strong><br>\u2013 Spain reached a record&nbsp;<strong>94 million tourists in 2024<\/strong><br>\u2013 Italy welcomes around&nbsp;<strong>60 million visitors annually<\/strong><br>\u2013 bookings to the United States are down&nbsp;<strong>7% for the summer<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A two-speed holiday market<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fact that one in two French people will not travel deserves particular attention.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It considerably qualifies the idea that leisure spending is uniformly protected by households.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In reality, there are two very different groups of consumers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>For some households, holidays are simply unaffordable<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For this group, there is no travel budget to optimise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The household is effectively excluded from the market.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is an important reminder that budget pressure does not always result in minor adjustments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It can also lead to&nbsp;<strong>complete withdrawal from a category of spending<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Other households adjust rather than cancel<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These households have the \u20ac1,500 to \u20ac2,000 needed for a ten-day holiday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their decisions shape the tourism market:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2013 destination<br>\u2013 duration<br>\u2013 accommodation<br>\u2013 travel dates<br>\u2013 transport choices<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This distinction is essential when interpreting tourism data.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trends such as stronger demand for European destinations or weaker bookings to the United States describe the behaviour of&nbsp;<strong>people who are travelling<\/strong>, not French households as a whole.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Closer destinations help households control costs<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a period of geopolitical uncertainty, European travellers are favouring destinations closer to home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tourism flows reflect this trend.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">France remains the world\u2019s leading tourist destination, attracting&nbsp;<strong>more than 100 million international visitors a year<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spain reached a record&nbsp;<strong>94 million tourists in 2024<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Italy receives around&nbsp;<strong>60 million visitors annually<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By contrast, bookings to the United States are down around&nbsp;<strong>7% for the summer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This shift reflects substitution rather than complete abandonment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Long-haul travel generally involves higher transport costs, exchange-rate exposure, longer minimum stays and greater uncertainty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Closer destinations make it possible to preserve the holiday itself while reducing both the financial cost and the perceived risk.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>households do not necessarily cancel the holiday they bring it closer to home.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why pleasure makes some spending more resilient<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This pattern illustrates one of the ideas repeatedly documented by the&nbsp;<strong>Cetelem Observatory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pleasure influences consumption in two important ways.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pleasure can make spending more resilient<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Households often defend spending that provides enjoyment more strongly than its theoretically discretionary status might suggest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They want to preserve the experience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pleasure also encourages trade-offs<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Resilience does not mean spending remains unchanged.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, households adjust the format:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2013 a closer destination<br>\u2013 a shorter stay<br>\u2013 different accommodation<br>\u2013 another travel period<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pleasure itself is protected, while the way it is consumed becomes negotiable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same mechanism can be seen across other consumer markets, including:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2013 leisure attractions<br>\u2013 cultural spending<br>\u2013 home and garden expenditure<br>\u2013 experiential services<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also provides an interesting contrast with durable goods.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A household may simply postpone replacing a car.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But rather than cancelling a summer holiday altogether, a household with sufficient resources may choose a different destination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">?&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/mobility-minute\/culture-france-household-spending-economic-impact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read also: the economic importance of culture in France<\/a><\/strong><br>?&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/mobility-minute\/economic-uncertainty-households-postpone-purchases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read also: economic uncertainty and household wait-and-see behaviour<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What the holiday market reveals about household spending<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three main lessons emerge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Budget pressure affects households in different ways<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For some, it means exclusion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For others, it means adjustment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Any analysis of leisure consumption needs to distinguish between these two populations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Households often adjust the format rather than the principle<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among people who can afford to travel, the main variables are destination, duration and accommodation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The holiday itself is often more strongly protected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Proximity has become a consumer benefit in its own right<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Closer destinations reduce travel costs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But they can also reduce uncertainty, particularly when the geopolitical environment feels unstable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proximity therefore combines both&nbsp;<strong>financial and psychological value<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<section class=\"faq\">\n  <h3>FAQ &#8211; Summer holiday budgets in France<\/h2>\n\n  <div class=\"faq-item\">\n    <h4>Why will one in two French people not go on holiday this summer?<\/h3>\n    <p>\n      Primarily for budget reasons. With a typical ten-day holiday costing\n      between \u20ac1,500 and \u20ac2,000, many households do not have sufficient\n      financial capacity to travel.\n    <\/p>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"faq-item\">\n    <h4>Are French households cancelling holidays or changing destination?<\/h3>\n    <p>\n      Households with sufficient budget generally adjust rather than cancel.\n      They may choose a closer destination, shorten the trip or change\n      accommodation while still preserving the holiday itself.\n    <\/p>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"faq-item\">\n    <h4>Why are European tourists choosing destinations closer to home?<\/h3>\n    <p>\n      Closer destinations can reduce transport costs, exchange-rate exposure\n      and uncertainty. In a difficult geopolitical environment, proximity\n      offers both financial savings and greater predictability.\n    <\/p>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"faq-item\">\n    <h4>What are Europe\u2019s leading tourist destinations?<\/h3>\n    <p>\n      France remains the world\u2019s leading tourist destination with more than\n      100 million visitors annually. Spain welcomed a record 94 million\n      tourists in 2024, while Italy receives around 60 million visitors a year.\n    <\/p>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"faq-item\">\n    <h4>Why does holiday spending remain resilient despite budget pressure?<\/h3>\n    <p>\n      Cetelem Observatory research suggests that pleasure is a strong driver\n      of both resilience and trade-offs. Households often protect enjoyable\n      experiences by changing their format rather than abandoning them\n      completely.\n    <\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key takeaways<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>One in two French people will not go on holiday this summer<\/strong>, mainly for budget reasons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For those who do travel, the average budget is between&nbsp;<strong>\u20ac1,500 and \u20ac2,000 for ten days<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These households are more likely to adjust the destination than abandon the trip.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Closer European destinations benefit from both lower costs and reduced uncertainty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">France remains the world\u2019s leading tourist destination with more than&nbsp;<strong>100 million visitors<\/strong>, ahead of Spain, which welcomed 94 million in 2024, and Italy at around 60 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, bookings to the United States are down approximately&nbsp;<strong>7% for the summer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The market illustrates a broader Cetelem Observatory finding:&nbsp;<strong>pleasure can be a powerful source of resilience in household spending, but consumers preserve it by adapting how they spend rather than refusing to make trade-offs.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">?&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/lobservatoire-cetelem-de-la-consommation\/consumption-in-europe-the-quest-for-enjoyment-holds-firm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Discover the Cetelem Observatory Consumption studies<\/a><\/strong><br>?&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/mobility-minute\/bicycle-market-france-bikes-outsell-cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read also: the bicycle market in France<\/a><\/strong><br>?&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/personal-finance.bnpparibas\/en\/mobility-consumption-minute-june-2025-bicycles-summer-holidays\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Back to the June 2025 Mobility &amp; Consumption Minute on BNP Paribas Personal Finance<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The headline figure immediately shows the divide:&nbsp;one in two French people will not go on holiday this summer, primarily for budget reasons. For the other half, a ten-day holiday requires an average budget of between&nbsp;\u20ac1,500 and \u20ac2,000. That is a significant amount, which explains why households who can afford to travel are carefully adjusting their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1981,"featured_media":35647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1496],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-consumption-minute"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1981"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35882"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35882\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35987,"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35882\/revisions\/35987"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/observatoirecetelem.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}