Côte d'Azur and Monaco saw continued recovery in 2025. The region welcomed over 12 million tourists. This confirms the French Riviera's place as a top global destination.
The Tourism Observatory for the Alpes-Maritimes and Monaco released a new report. The region grew because of international visitors who now make up more than half of all tourists. This level exceeds the pre-COVID figures. This rise made up for a small drop in French domestic travelers.
Americans Lead the International Surge
The United States became the top foreign market in 2025. Americans made up over 15% of international overnight stays which was a major change. Americans passed traditional European leaders in key areas. Other groups also grew. Turkey rose by +50%, Japan by +35%, China by +30%, and the Near and Middle East by +21%. The top five international markets stayed the same: the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and Scandinavia.
This growth shows trends in luxury travel. Wealthy visitors like the Riviera's glamour, beaches, and culture. They also value the closeness to events in Cannes and Monaco.
Airport Traffic Hits New Highs
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport helped drive the success. It welcomed a record 15.23 million commercial passengers in 2025. This is a +3.2% increase over 2024. International traffic led the way and rose +4.7%. Domestic flights dropped slightly by -0.3%. Commercial aircraft movements grew by +1.9% to 163,052. This shows that planes were fuller. Capacities on key routes expanded. New long-haul flights to Washington and Dakar made travel easier.
Strong Performance in Accommodation
Hotel and residence numbers looked good. Annual hotel occupancy was near 66%. This was a small rise from 2024. Hotels saw nearly 13 million overnight stays. This is the highest level over the last decade. The average stay lasted 2.5 nights. Summer from June to September remained the peak season. Hotels reached around 85% occupancy. Visitors arriving by air spent more money. They averaged 110 euros per day. These were often international guests.
The broader Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region performed very well. PACA led French tourism growth for the second year in a row. It posted a +6.5% increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR). Luxury and upscale hotels caused much of this growth. Upscale hotels reached a 71.8% occupancy rate which was up 2.9 points. Their RevPAR grew by +5.4%. Investments totaled over €1.5 billion in recent years. This money went to palace renovations and high-end properties in Nice and Cannes. These improvements made the region more attractive.
Year-Round Appeal and Mountain Momentum
The effort to develop four-season tourism succeeded. Early winter results in mountain resorts were good. Occupancy reached 66% over Christmas. It was nearly 90% during New Year's week. Resorts made changes for the 2025-2026 season. Valberg reconfigured its town center. Auron added a new gondola. Gréolières 1400 built a four-season sledge run. Isola 2000 hosted media events. These projects aim to attract more French visitors and extend the season.
Broader French Tourism Context
Nationally, 2025 showed solid but mixed results for French tourism according to Alliance France Tourisme. International visitors boosted the growth. This was true for luxury hotels and famous regions like Paris and the Côte d'Azur. President Dominique Marcel noted that the year was "okay." The luxury hotel industry and popular areas did well. However, French domestic travelers spent cautiously. They often chose cheaper places or shortened their stays. Mid-range hotels grew more slowly. This reflected economic pressures, caution and growing competition from Mediterranean rivals like Spain and Italy.
PACA combined international appeal and luxury markets to lead the country. This shows the Côte d'Azur remains very attractive.
The year 2025 confirmed that the French Riviera is changing. It is now a global destination for every season. Americans led this shift, and strong infrastructure supports lasting growth. The region is ready for success in 2026 and later. It balances glamour with a wider focus.
