In the tourism sector, one area is hoping to benefit from the All Saints' Day school vacations, which start on Saturday, October 19 in France. Theme parks. Disneyland, Nigloland, Parc Astérix, La Mer de Sable, OK Corral ... Come rain or shine, all have adopted the Halloween theme to attract visitors with skeletons, pumpkins and witchcraft-themed shows designed for the occasion.

Will the public show up? With French consumer spending affected by falling purchasing power, these popular outings have been struggling since the start of 2024, impacted further by unfavorable weather. Theme park attendance was down in June and July, according to the Syndicat National des Espaces de Loisirs, d'Attractions et Culturels (SNELAC), but August numbers improved. However, once on site, visitors spent much less in stores and restaurants, as the bill has become a hefty one for families.

At Disneyland, during the All Saints' Day vacations, an adult ticket cost €124 (for both parks), an increase of 25% in five years. At Nigloland, tickets cost €43, compared with €32 in 2019. "We've lost some of our audience," noted Sophie Huberson, general delegate of SNELAC, "but the sector is holding up well because it has a social function: it's pure entertainment, allowing families to get away from everyday life for a day. We're also holding up thanks to the promotional rates offered by works councils and associations. This strategy is part of the parks' business model."

The entire vacation sector has seen significant price increases over the past three years, far exceeding average inflation rates: 1.6% in 2021, 5.2% in 2022 and 4.9% in 2023, according to the Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (INSEE). "In a state of post-Covid-19 recovery, the French spent a lot on their vacations and leisure activities. For three years, demand was strong and professionals raised their prices without seeing any impact on visitor numbers," observed Jean Pinard, a consultant specializing in the tourism economy. "But we're reaching the limit of this logic, with the pressure on purchasing power, and people are starting to cut back." This summer, according to INSEE, the number of overnight stays in hotels, campsites and vacation homes was down only slightly, cushioned by an increase in foreign visitors.

In the hotel sector, across all price ranges, the average price of a hotel night has soared by 26% since 2019, according to data from consulting firm MKG, based on 2,400 establishments in France. In Paris, the increase is even more pronounced: 37%. A night in a three-star hotel now costs an average of €134 nationwide, up from €97 in 2019. The average price of an Airbnb rental in France has risen by 39% since 2019, according to data from consulting firm AirDNA. As for the average price of a plane ticket abroad from France, it has risen by 32% between 2017 and 2023, according to the French Civil Aviation Authority.

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