IN CHARENTE-MARITIME
Attendance of -2.5%
Over this period, attendance in Charente-Maritime decreased by -2.5% compared to 2023. From April to June, attendance decreased by -2.5%, marked by a significant drop of -15% during spring break and Pentecost weekend. Despite a significant rebound at Ascension (+10%) and in June (+5%), this did not compensate for the decline.
The summer results were also mixed: attendance drop of -7.5% in July, due to a less favorable calendar and the elections, increase of +5% in August.
In September, attendance fell by -2.5% but the All Saints' Day holidays recorded a notable rebound of +10%, with a first week at +2.5% and a second week (covering the All Saints' Week ) at +15%, thanks to significantly more favorable weather than in 2023 and an advantageous calendar with the extended weekend of November 1st.
The islands (Ré, Oléron, Aix) experienced results similar to those of the departmental average, with a drop of -2.5% over the entire season.
Economic surveys reveal that inflation continued to weigh on the purchasing power of tourists, influencing their consumption behavior. A majority of professionals have observed a reduction in visitor spending and a subsequent drop in their turnover.
Good progress for seasonal rentals
Seasonal rentals increased by +13% from April to September 2024 versus 2023, with peaks in summer (+16%) and September (+11%). Hotel occupancy fell by -2%, covering an increase of +3% this summer (+10% foreign customers, +1% French customers). The outdoor hotel industry seems to have remained stable, growing slightly (data not yet available). Leisure sites and activities experienced mixed attendance. French overnight stays fell by -2.5% over the entire season, foreign overnight stays remained stable, with the British, Germans and Dutch in the lead.
As of November 1, reservations for seasonal rentals in Charente-Maritime showed an increase of +4% for the end-of-year holidays.
ON THE ISLAND OF RÉ
Nights in rentals down -7%
“The season from April to October 2024 was marked by capricious weather, inflation, elections, the geopolitical context, competition. This translates into a decrease of – 7% in rental nights compared to 2023 but still + 1.9% compared to 2019 (reference year before Covid – Editor’s note),” writes Destination Île de Ré.
Thus, if the occupancy rate of furnished accommodation between April and October increased from 28.80% in 2019 to 27.30% in 2023 and 26.18% in 2024, the number of nights reserved increased from 237,901 in 2019 to 260,837 in 2023 and 242,374 in 2024. At the same time, we see a decreasing number of rentals on the platforms, on average of -4.25% from April to October 2024, versus 2023.
The top 3 accommodations on the island
The top 3 accommodations on the Ile de Ré are made up of campsites (33%, -3 points versus 2023), furnished rentals (28%, -7 points versus 2023) and hotels (14%, +4 points versus 2023), motorhomes/vans coming in 4th position.
The top 3 sources
The French represented 74% of visitors (-7 points versus 2023), residents of the United Kingdom 8% (+3 points) and Belgians 6% (+1 point).
Reduced length of stay
Lengths of stay have been reduced: thus in 2024, stays of 2 to 6 nights represented 75% of stays, an increase of 12 points compared to 2023. Conversely, stays of 7 nights and more, representing 21% of stays , fell by 11 points; Overnight stays represent 4%, down one point.
Visitor expectations and satisfaction
Destination Île de Ré noted more particular attention to the quality/price/competition ratio and a notable increase in requests for bare pitches for tents, caravans, motorhomes/vans. According to the Ile de Ré tourist office, if the very high season no longer starts before the weekend of July 20-21, a trend which has been confirmed since 2018/2019, on the other hand the season stretches by April (Easter) to October (All Saints’ Day). He also notes a “hyperconcentration” of so-called very high season activity over three weeks from August 3, 2024, with many last minute requests in August.
The drop in attendance on the Île de Ré during this 2024 season can also be seen in terms of the number of visitors to the municipal tourist reception offices: 271,893 visitors, or -9.6% compared to 2023.
Measured via 21,750 reviews analyzed on 184 establishments observed on the platforms, the score awarded to the Ile de Ré for its services is 8.7/10 (+0.2 points versus 2023).
Among the points of vigilance are, unsurprisingly, parking rated 3.8/10 and the quality/price ratio also rated 3.8/10, these two items are very slightly improved compared to 2023.
