If Lot-et-Garonne has been able to develop and promote its green tourism, it is still far from the pressure suffered by coastal departments, such as the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. However, it has been won over in recent years by the Airbnb phenomenon, and the figures provided by the group attest to its economic power.
“At the scale of the furnished tourist accommodation sector, for the year of 2023 alone, visitors generated 7.7 billion in economic impact in rural departments, including more than 115 million euros in Lot-et- Garonne, and supported more than 1,000 jobs in the department,” assures the group, from whom “Sud Ouest” requested this data.
“In 2023, short-term rentals generated more than 43 billion euros in total revenue for French municipalities, including 7.7 billion euros in rural departments, while contributing almost 1% to the French gross domestic product (GDP), according to a new Deloitte study. »
In more detail, in Lot-et-Garonne, nearly 600,000 nights were booked by travelers in short-term rentals. 83% were by travelers from France. Everyone spent an average of 93 euros per day, or more than 115 million euros in total spending, supporting more than 1,000 jobs. Stays and spending by travelers generated 13 million euros in tax revenue for the State and municipalities. “Airbnb paid more than 270,000 euros in tourist tax on behalf of hosts in 2023, including more than 32,000 euros for the city of Agen. »
The group emphasizes the diversity of its offerings to explain its success. “They respond to different desires and needs, depending on the number of travelers (single, couple, family, etc.), the level of service and comfort expected, the length of stays, the accommodation available in sometimes out-of-the-way areas . »
Hotel competition?
However, could the progression of Airbnb represent dangerous competition for the traditional hotel industry? While the group affirms that “many hotel establishments, wishing to increase their visibility and their activity, are also listed on the platform”. Villeneuvois hoteliers recently expressed in the columns of “Sud Ouest” their fears regarding these short-term rentals, an effect which would have been accentuated after Covid.
“It’s competition for our hoteliers for tourist accommodation, that’s a certainty,” according to Adrien Pedrazzi, departmental president of Umih (Union of Hotel Trades and Industries), which puts things into perspective. “Behind this, it can trickle down to catering, to visits, for on-site consumption. And we are not in ultra-tourist areas like in the Basque Country, where there is a huge supply of Airbnb. And we obtained legislation that makes this system less lucrative. But at the national level, Umih is suing Airbnb. »
