Tourist accommodation in France in 2021
Discover the figures for tourist accommodation in France in 2021 in the face of the crisis.
How many tourist accommodation sites are there in France? And among them, how many hotels? How many campsites? Who was hit hardest by the Covid crisis? We answer all of these questions!
The figures
There are a total of 29,313 tourist accommodation sites in France (in 2021). Among them:
- Tourist hotels: 17,405
- Campsites: 8,239
- Holiday residences and similar accommodation: 2,386
- Holiday villages and family holiday centres: 962
- Youth hostels, international stay centres, sports centres: 321
Note the difference between a hotel, booked for a short stay, and a holiday residence, intended for longer stays.
The distribution of tourist accommodations in France clearly shows the dominance of hotels, which account for more than half of the total supply.
| Type of accommodation | Number of establishments | Relative share |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist hotels | 17,405 | 59 % |
| Campsites | 8,239 | 28 % |
| Tourist residences and equivalent | 2,386 | 8 % |
| Holiday villages and family houses | 962 | 3 % |
| Youth hostels and sports centres | 321 | 1 % |
Tourist accommodation and the Covid-19 crisis
For hotels, the drop in turnover was brutal (compared with 2019): down 43%! That said, the French hotel industry proved more resilient than its neighbours: 47% in the United Kingdom and 63% in Germany. Unsurprisingly, the hardest-hit hotels were luxury hotels, deprived of their international clientele.
Leisure tourism, however, did not fall away nearly as sharply. By switching their holiday plans to France, French holidaymakers drove up bookings in the mountains and along the coast. Rental prices climbed and houses with a swimming pool were snapped up over the summer!
If you would like to look into the subject further, you can consult the many infographics published by INSEE. All of these figures are striking. Did you expect numbers like these? If this is a topic that interests you, here is an article on the Gîtes de France® label that should appeal to you.
Frequently asked questions
How many tourist accommodations are there in France? France had 29,313 tourist accommodations in 2021. Tourist hotels make up the largest share, with 17,405 establishments, ahead of 8,239 campsites. The rest is split between tourist residences and similar accommodation (2,386), holiday villages and family holiday centres (962), then youth hostels, international stay centres and sports centres (321).
What is the difference between a hotel and a tourist residence? The length of stay. You book a hotel for a few nights, a tourist residence for a longer stay. That also explains the gap in numbers: 17,405 tourist hotels against 2,386 residences and similar accommodation.
How much did hotel revenue fall during the covid crisis? By 43% compared with 2019. The drop is brutal, yet French hotels held up better than their neighbours: the fall reaches 47% in the United Kingdom and 63% in Germany.
Which hotels suffered the most? Luxury hotels. They live off international guests, and that clientele vanished overnight. Unsurprisingly, they are the ones showing the heaviest losses.
Did leisure tourism fall as much as the hotel trade? No. French travellers redirected their trips to France, and bookings rose both in the mountains and along the coast. Rental prices climbed and houses with a pool were snapped up during the summer.
Where can I find detailed figures on tourist accommodation? In the INSEE infographics, which break the stock down by type of accommodation. Bear in mind that the figures quoted here relate to 2021: they shift from one year to the next, and a stock statistic is never a snapshot of today.
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