The summer of 2024 was marked by significant contrasts in the tourism sector of Haute-Garonne, like the entire Occitanie region. Analysis…After a down month of July, professionals saw a much more dynamic month of August, making it possible to compensate for a difficult first part of the season.
July in half-tonesThe figures for the month of July did not live up to expectations. The late start of the school holidays (July 5) and the absence of a bank holiday linked to July 14, falling on a Sunday, weighed heavily on attendance. We lost a whole week of potential tourists “, lamented Vincent Garel, president of the Regional Committee for Tourism and Leisure (CRTL) of Occitanie, during the press conference. With only 46% of professionals satisfied with their activity, July clearly appeared to be a month down compared to 2023.
August, a welcome reboundOn the other hand, the month of August brought back the smiles to tourism stakeholders, with 71% satisfaction, particularly during the long weekend of August 15 which reached a satisfaction rate of 75%. Accommodation in Haute-Garonne, particularly gîtes, guest houses and campsites, recorded good occupancy rates. According to Vincent Garel, ” August trends were excellent, confirming the month’s central role in the summer season “. The strong return of foreign customers, particularly Spanish, German and Dutch, has been beneficial for the department. On the other hand, British, Italian and American customers have been in decline, a phenomenon probably accentuated by the Paris Olympic Games. Muriel Abadie, Vice-President for Sustainable Tourism, recalled that ” Despite a complicated summer, August has picked up again, and we are counting on a solid late season “.
A promising late seasonAs summer draws to a close, forecasts for September are optimistic. In Occitanie, bookings for this month are considered “good to very good” by more than half of professionals, with an occupancy rate that could rival that of July. This trend is accentuated by the increasingly common practice of last-minute bookings, often influenced by the weather.
The coastline and the mountains in great shapeCommercial accommodation in coastal resorts has seen an increase this year with a high occupancy rate (76.7%) over the July-August period compared to 2023, excellent results mainly due to the month of August (the first half of July having been sluggish). It is the outdoor hotel and rental structures that are doing better (than hotels). As for commercial accommodation in Pyrenees resorts, they see their occupancy rate increase on average in August (to 78.4%) compared to 2023, and, to a lesser extent (to 55.8%). More and more visitors are opting for shorter but more frequent stays. Certain transport offers, such as the 1 euro train system, which has had a direct impact on leisure bookings. In 2023, ” The economic impact of the 1 euro trains has been estimated at 16 million euros in benefits for the region. “, stressed Vincent Garel. With 85 million overnight stays in Occitanie over the period of July and August, Haute-Garonne alone represents around 6% of regional tourism.
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