France’s tourism industry opened the 2026/27 business year on a high note Tuesday, 15 September, as 32,000 executives gathered at the IFTM Top Resa trade show in Paris. New figures released at the event by Tourism Minister Serge Papin show that foreign visitor arrivals surged by 5.4 % this summer to an all-time record, even as outbound trips by French residents fell 5.2 %. The contrasting trends underline France’s growing appeal—and the budget pressures weighing on domestic travellers. According to industry association SETO, France captured the largest share of European intra-regional traffic for the third straight year. Mid-altitude mountain destinations and the cooler Atlantic coastline were big winners, offsetting slower bookings along the overheated Mediterranean littoral. Camping—half of the nation’s collective summer accommodation—logged a 2 % drop in nights because record heat discouraged last-minute stays. For business-travel planners the headline is the forward-booking curve: SETO reports €640 million in confirmed sales for the November-April shoulder and winter seasons, up 1.7 % year-on-year, with France itself up 8 %. Corporate meetings specialists at IFTM said Paris 2026 hotel rates rose only 3 % year-to-date—well below inflation—making the capital competitively priced versus London or Amsterdam. Exhibitors from more than 180 countries are courting French incentive and MICE buyers during the three-day show. Policy-wise, the ministry reiterated that France’s temporary internal border controls with other Schengen states (in place until 31 October) do not affect international arrivals at airports—good news for long-haul organisers. Separately, event security teams briefed firms on the Entry/Exit System (EES) dry-runs now under way at CDG and Orly ahead of the EU-wide rollout, urging travel managers to add 15 minutes to airport dwell times this winter. The upbeat data provide ammunition for Papin’s target of restoring tourism’s pre-pandemic 8 % share of GDP by 2028. While volatile energy costs and climate-related disruptions remain risks, analysts at hotel consultancy MKG say France’s diversified demand mix—split between leisure, business and events—is cushioning shocks better than single-segment destinations. Multinationals planning meetings in 2027-28 were advised at IFTM to lock in venues early, as Paris capacity will tighten once Olympic sites return to the market post-Games.
Source: Le Monde / IFTM press
