France
Visitor characteristics
- Most trips are by those aged 25-44, but the cohort having seen the strongest growth in the past decade is 45-54
- More than half of holiday visitors from France (excluding British nationals) are making a repeat trip to Britain
- 28% of visiting friends and relations (VFR) visitors from France are British nationals
- Paris and the Ile-de-France area are by far the most important source market for visits to Britain within France
- 91% of departing visitors are ‘very’ or ‘extremely likely’ to recommend Britain for a holiday or short-break
Popular activities
Visited a Pub
Visited Parks/ Gardens
Went Shopping
Global context
| Measure | 2016 |
|---|---|
| International tourism expenditure (US$bn) | 38.4 |
| Global rank for international tourism expenditure | 5 |
| Number of outbound visits (m) | 49.3 |
| Most visited destination | Spain |
Key demographic and economic data
| Measure | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Population (m) | 66.9 |
| GDP per capita PPP (US$) | 37,131 |
| Annual average GDP growth over past decade (%) | 0.7 |
| Annual average GDP growth in 2016 (%) | 1.1 |
Inbound visits to Britain
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Access to Britain from France
| Measure | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Weekly aircraft departures | 999 |
| Weekly seat capacity | 141,584 |
| Airports with direct routes in France | 40 |
| Airports with direct routes in Britain | 29 |
| Eurostar trains per day from Paris | 18 |
| Weekly ferry crossings | 765 |
| Weekly Eurotunnel Shuttles | 329 |
- Slightly more visitors reach Britain from France through the Channel Tunnel than by 'plane'
- Airline seat capacity is highly seasonal but is largely shaped by demand for travel to France by holidaying Britons
- Routes with the highest capacity are those operating from Paris to London
- French visitors flying home from Britain pay £13 in Air Passenger Duty
What the French think about Britain
- The French hold a slightly less positive view of Britain than is the case for many other countries
- They rate Britain highly for contemporary culture, vibrant cities and sport, but less for welcome and scenic natural beauty; Britain was rated 16th and 35th out of fifty nations repectively on these two attributes in 2016
- Museums and music are the cultural products or services most strongly associated with Britain among the French
- Australia, Italy and the US are the destinations most likely to be seen as the ‘best place’ for delivering on factors the French most ‘want’ from a destination
- Areas of strength for Britain include the ‘ease of getting around’, ‘good shopping’, ‘being somewhere to see famous sites’ and for ‘lots of history’ and to ‘watch sporting events’ while very few consider Britain as the ‘best place for ‘food and drink’
- Activities that appeal to potential French visitors include a ‘visit to Buckingham Palace’ and ‘spotting wildlife in the Scottish Highlands’
Caring for visitors
- The French are keen to have information provided in their own language when in Britain
- They prefer to stay in mid-range accommodation including bed and breakfasts, with en-suite facilities. Country house hotels are popular in France and a good benchmark for the value for money levels expected.
- Youth travellers prefer to opt for youth hostels or university accommodation as they tend to be more price-sensitive
- Expectation levels for standards and services are high – any issues should be resolved promptly
The leisure & travel trade
- The trade structure is quite complex and fragmented - made up of tour operators and travel agencies (online and offline), with associations and social clubs playing an important role
- November-December and May-September are the main planning periods
- Tour operators are mainly based in Paris
Downloads
Read about the preferences of Europeans towards tourism. Published March 2015
Find out what perceived barriers to going exploring beyond London for the French. Published July 2013
Find out where visitors from France to the UK reside in their own country. Published 2014
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As of 14 August 2017
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