What are the economic spin-offs for river tourism in France?
On February 5 and 6, 2020, Auxerre hosted the National Meetings of River Tourism. For two days, the players in this sector gathered together and on this occasion, the Voies navigables de France establishment presented the results of its study carried out in 2019. The latter is dedicated to the economic spin-offs of this type of tourism on the national territory. And they are rather good since they are estimated at 1.36 billion euros. Similarly, this survey tells us that 15.6 million passenger days are organised each year. A passenger day being the daily visit of a person practising river tourism. To sum up, this sector is developing well in France and appeals as much to French people as to foreign customers.
A dynamic sector which is becoming an essential part of the French tourist landscape.
In recent years, river tourism has benefited from a wind of modernity. It no longer appeals only to the elderly, but also to families, young people and couples. And this can be seen in the figures, as this study by Voies Navigables de France shows. To carry out this survey, the establishment was interested in the results of the 5 sectors of this sector: river liners, hotel barges, houseboats, houseboats for hire without a licence and private yachting. In total, these sectors generated 1.36 billion euros including tax. And among the regions that stand out from the pack are the Seine basin (344 million euros excluding tax), the Aquitaine-Occitania destination (174 million euros excluding tax) and the Grand Est with 91 million euros excluding tax. Likewise, the rental of boats without a licence generates 110 million euros including tax in economic spin-offs and employs 587 people. In 2018, 130,000 passengers will have chosen this mode of transport to discover a region.
Tourism contributing to the attractiveness and development of the regions
Reading the results of this survey by Voies Navigables de France, one realises that river tourism has become a key player in the tourist offer available in France. Similarly, it contributes to making French territories more attractive to holidaymakers and tourists. And as Thierry Guimbaud, the managing director of VNF, points out, "the prospects for development are therefore promising even if certain challenges remain: demanding customers, particularly in terms of respect for the environment, an offer that needs to find new sources of growth". Thanks to river cruises, licence-free boat rentals and hotel barges, the regions can attract tourists and help them discover their landscapes and their riches. And this also has positive consequences for local tourism stakeholders.