France proudly welcomed a staggering 100 million international tourists in 2024, reaffirming its position as the world’s top tourist destination, as government figures indicate. However, a closer examination reveals a worrying pattern: despite the high volume of visitors, France ranks fourth globally in tourism revenue, trailing the United States, Spain and Japan. With shorter stays and reduced spending, the country is missing out on considerable economic benefits, leading to calls for prompt improvements to bolster its tourism sector.
France’s Tourism: A Leader in Visitors, Not Revenue
While France attracts more international tourists than any other country, these visitors are spending comparatively less time and less money. The average foreign tourist spends approximately €650 per day in France, as opposed to nearly €1,000 in Spain. In 2024, France generated €71 billion in tourism receipts, while Spain dwarfed that with €126 billion. This disparity illustrates a critical problem: many tourists, especially when visiting Paris, are using France as a brief stopover on a wider European tour, preferring destinations like London, Barcelona, or Rome for extended stays, often due to lower accommodation expenses.
France’s central European location makes it a convenient hub for tourists, especially those from America and Asia on once-in-a-lifetime trips. Nonetheless, those very visitors tend to favor cheaper destinations such as Spain, where they are able to stretch their budgets. Consequently, this trend leads to a significant revenue loss for France, undercutting the economic potential of its tourism sector.
Economic Stakes and Job Creation
France’s tourism forms a vital pillar of the economy, employing about 2 million people and contributing 5% to 8% of its GDP. It’s estimated that one job is created for every €100,000 in tourism revenue. If tourists spent at the same levels as in Spain, France could generate an additional €28 billion in VAT and taxes, leading to an estimated 280,000 new jobs. This untapped potential underscores just how urgent it is to address the reasons tourists are spending less while in France.
Challenges in Infrastructure and Appeal
To reverse this problematic trend, France has to address several crucial points. The country’s accommodation stock, totaling 2 million beds in hotels and campsites, has not increased since 2004. Although platforms such as Airbnb, Booking, and Homelidays have increased bed numbers by 1 million, many are unregulated and do not meet modern traveler expectations. Upgrading and expanding high-quality accommodations is vital to encouraging both longer visits and increased spending.
Safety and hospitality in public transport, stations, and airports are also areas for improvement. Unpleasant experiences in these areas can naturally discourage visitors from extending their stays in France. Through enhancing infrastructure and improving guest experiences overall, France should be able to compete more effectively with destinations like Spain, where, again, lower costs combined with robust offerings keep tourists for a longer time.
A Call for Strategic Investment
France’s tourism sector faces a critical moment. While the nation's cultural landmarks, stretching from the Eiffel Tower all the way to the French Riviera, continue to attract millions, the country risks losing ground to its competitors if no strategic action is taken. Investing in modernized accommodations, improving accessibility and safety, and ultimately, promoting France as a destination to choose for long stays could all help close the noted revenue gap. With the summer of 2025 fast approaching, both the government and the industry ought to act rapidly to ensure that France not only welcomes global tourists, but secures their custom and wallets, thereby helping ensure its economic future.
