With 10,000 visitors expected just for the Grand Raid, the month of October looks promising for Reunion tourism. A breath of fresh air that arrives after a more nuanced first half of 2024.
Published on October 14, 2024 at 11:48 a.m.,
updated October 14, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.
For several days, Roland Garros airport has seen hundreds of arriving passengers pass through. Among them, classic tourists, but also many Grand Raid runners who came with their supporters! Enough to reinvigorate local tourist activity, which is currently entering its high season.
This is confirmed by Patrick Serveaux, president of the Union of Hotel Trades and Industries (UMIH) of Reunion Island. “We’ve been waiting for October for a long time. The start of the year was very, very average, with activity in the first half less than in 2023“, he announces, referring to a drop of -4% compared to the same period last year.
So this month of October, and its numerous visitors largely linked to the Diagonale and its little sisters, do not fail to arouse hope in the president of the UMIH. The month of October traditionally offers the best turnover of the year, especially as the Grand Raid coincides with the school holidays.
“I think we will make up for it because we are having an excellent month of October in general, whether for hoteliers and restaurateurs, but also for leisure activities”
Patrick Serveaux, president of the UMIH
It must be said that the period of the Grand Raid is not to be missed for professionals, when we know that “between the runners and the accompanying people, roughly 10,000 people arrive in Reunion for the Grand Raid”, underlines Patrick Serveaux. It is therefore no surprise that the hotels are fully booked, with the island’s hotel capacity amounting to 16,000 beds, hotels and lodges combined. “These establishments are currently overrun and there are very few places available. We are fighting to have a great end to the year“, he is satisfied.
To cope with the influx of visitors, Frédéric Pons, director of the La Palmeraie restaurant in Saint-Gilles-les-bains, strengthened his teams, particularly on weekends, and set up a program of concerts. For him, the kick-off for the summer season. “It’s starting, it’s the beginning, and next weekend will be even better!“, he hopes.
It remains to be seen whether inflation and other expenses will not come to play spoilsport in the wallets, constraining the budgets of tourists. “We have fun but with taxes, that limits vacations“, reacts this couple, who opted for a stay in a hotel residence, and visited several museums as activities. “There we’re going to take a little cruise.”they rejoice.
This other couple, who came for the Grand Raid and “combine vacation and sport“, chose to put “a good budget in scuba diving and rental car“But for accommodation, their stay will be broken down between “guest house, hotel and apartment rental”.
There remains these runners from Corsica, who also intend to enjoy the island to the fullest, by hiking of course, but also by enjoying the gastronomy and tourist activities without spending money. So they say, laughing: “In Corsica we have fun, so we have fun here too!”.
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