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Summary of our market study
French market for travel agencies and tour operators exceeds €13 billion
The French tour operator market, which encompasses a variety of all-inclusive travel services, is fueled by the combination of convenience and security that these packages offer consumers.
Younger generations show a clear preference for independent travel arrangements, favoring platforms such as Booking.com and Lastminute.com.
The sector's players - general tour operators, specialists, group operators, integrated networks, online agencies and mass retailers - are moving towards more direct sales models and personalized offers.
The boundaries between tour operators and travel agencies are blurring.
The growing number of over-50s offers strong growth potential for the tour-operator market.
Individual customers generate almost 63.8% of sales, followed by companies and public authorities, with 31.4% and 4.8% of the market respectively.
Long-haul trips tend to be more frequent in winter, accounting for over 34.5% of all planned trips, while shorter trips dominate the summer months.
Although a significant number of French people (68%) choose to organize their own trips abroad, travel agencies retain a competitive edge. Some 59% of French consumers consider the service offered by travel agencies to be a significant advantage.
Players in the tour-operating market
- Kuoni: Swiss tour operator that has established itself as a brand of quality and innovation, catering to those seeking a high-end, tailor-made travel experience.
- Salaün Holidays: a renowned name in national and international travel.
- Geotravel: specialized adventure tour operator
- CE Evasion: group operator known for its services to works councils and community groups.
- Havas Voyages: traditional and modern approach to travel agencies.
- Selectour Afat: extensive international presence of
- TUI: a world leader in tour operating
- Lastminute.com: digital pioneer
- Carrefour Voyages: draws on its experience in the retail sector.
- Voyageurs du Monde: Customized travel specialist
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of the study
The tour package (or tourist package) means all the services offered by tour operators (or tour operators) when selling trips lasting more than 24 hours. According to European regulations, a tour package is a journey of more than 24 hours sold on a all-inclusive package and covering at least two benefits among the services of transport, accommodation, excursions, meals and other activities.
The tour operator market is composed of two main types of players:
- tour operators (or tour-operators) who organise tourist stays in the form of "packages" by bringing together the services of several suppliers (airlines, hotels, restaurants, leisure providers, etc.)
- the travel agencies that market them.
However, the distinction between these two players is becoming increasingly blurred: some travel agencies are developing their offers themselves, while some tour operators are taking advantage of the development of e-tourism and selling their products directly to the end customer.
The players in the sector include general tour operators (Kuoni, Salaün Holidays), specialists and group operators (Geotravel, CE Evasion), as well as integrated, franchised or voluntary networks (Havas Voyages, Selectour Afat, TUI), independents, online agencies (Lastmminute.com) and mass retailers (Carrefour Voyages).
Traditionally carried by tour operators and travel agencies in physics, the industry has been shaken by the emergence of digital players bringing together all the offers on a single platform, as in the case of Booking . com or Lastminute . com in France. Another disruptive factor on the market has been the rise of private sales platforms and discount sales offering special promotional offers to the most responsive customer visitors.
The european market of tour operators and travel agencies was worth 167.4 billion euros in 2016, a figure that is growing strongly. The growth in the European market is mainly due to the dynamism of the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain in the tour operator market. On a global scale, the market is also growing strongly, driven by the economic growth of emerging countries and the growing importance of leisure and tourism in people's habits.
The french market of tour operators and travel agencies grew by 12% in 5 years, between 2014 and 2019. This growth can be explained by the simplicity and convenience offered by tour operators and travel agencies, as well as the comfort and security offered by intermediaries.
However, this growth is threatened by a number of issues, the main ones being the preference of the younger generations for the personal travel arrangements and competition from booking platforms online . In addition to this, external factors, in particular the crisis related to the Covid-19 which caused the market turnover to fall, peaking in May 2020 ( - 83.81% between May 2019 and May 2020).
However, growth drivers are emerging, in particular the success of tailor-made travel and the growing demand for more personalized travel, the ecological awareness and dynamism of the sustainable travel segment, and the targeting of the over-50s, whose share is set to increase sharply in the coming years and who represent a strong customer potential for the organized travel market.
List of charts presented in this market study
- Turnover of travel agencies and tour operators
- Chiffre d'affaires des activités des agences de voyage et voyagistes (code 79.1)
- Profil des clients des agences de voyage et voyagistes
- Répartition des clients des agences de voyage et voyagistes par localisation
- Répartition du chiffre d'affaires issu des voyages à forfait par zone géographique
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Latest news
Voyageurs du Monde takes on Europe's cycle routes - 25/06/2024
- - Total sales of the group amounted to over 693 million euros in 2023, up 39.5%
- - The group employs 1,800 people.
- - Purchase of Eurofun, an Austrian company specializing in bicycle travel, with sales of 100 million euros.
- - Randovélo, another group entity based in Blois, has sales of 5 million euros.
- - Cycle tourism accounts for 37% of the group's customers and 17% of its sales.
- - A week's bike touring is priced at between 1,000 and 1,200 euros per person.
Voyageurs du Monde: strong recovery in 2022, continuing into 2023 - 19/04/2023
- Sales in 2022: 497.3 million euros
- Sales growth in 2022 compared with 2019: 2%
- International sales in 2022: 32% of total sales
- Net income in 2022: 29.9 million euros
- Loss in 2021: 0.3 million euros
- Profit in 2019: 20.3 million euros
Lionel Habasque gets Terres d'Aventure up and running - 27/03/2023
- With fifteen brands - including Terres d'Aventure, Comptoir des Voyages, Nomade Aventure and Allibert Trekking - the group employs 1,500 people, with sales of 430 million euros in 2022
- - 487 million euros in sales before the pandemic
- - Terre d'Aventure - 24% growth rate - 160 employees
Carrefour Voyages in peril - 07/02/2023
- Number of sales outlets in 2019: 132 integrated and 32 franchised branches
- Sales in 2021: 10.083 million euros
- Net loss in 2021: 17 million euros
- Current management: Patrick Métivier (for four years)
Voyageurs du Monde to return to profitability in 2022 - 19/04/2022
- Voyageurs du Monde Group sales in 2022: €497.3 million.
- Sales up 2% on 2019.
- Group net income in 2019: €20.3 million.
- Net income in 2021: -0.3 million euros.
- Eurofun Group sales in 2019: €80 million.
- Extraordinary Journeys sales: $13 million.
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