If the weather was not good, tourists were there in Gironde in July. Covid-19 crisis obliges, it is mainly the French clientele who came to spend their holidays in the department, and the share of foreign tourists has not recovered to its pre-crisis levels, but European tourists are gradually returning .
A Gironde Tourisme study indicates that “unsurprisingly, given the travel restrictions, the deficit of foreign customers is still marked in July, but it is much less than in June. With the reopening of the borders under conditions on June 9, some European clienteles have returned, mainly on the Medoc coast and to a lesser extent in Bordeaux. In terms of accommodation, it is in camping that this foreign clientele has been most present, while the hotel industry, mainly urban, suffers from the absence of clients from further afield. “
In 2021 as in 2020, “the refocusing of the markets will be carried out on Europe” continues the study. And the most present clienteles in July were the Belgians, followed by the Germans, the Dutch and the Swiss. On the other hand, the Spaniards and especially the British were lacking in this month of July, in particular for domestic tourism.
“Many French and Germans on the coast”
A survey of 250 professionals between the end of July and the beginning of August to Gironde Tourism, indicates that 54% of them are satisfied with the attendance and 29% very satisfied. They confirm that it is always the coast, whether it is the Atlantic coast or the Arcachon basin, which drives tourism upwards in Gironde. “It was predictable, because even if the weather was not satisfactory in July, we had noticed a craze on reservations from May”, analyzes the president of Gironde Tourisme Pascale Got.
“July was very satisfactory in terms of attendance on the entire coast, from Verdon-sur-Mer to Lacanau, confirms Nicolas Jabaudon, director of the Médoc Atlantique tourist office, with in particular many French and Germans, on the other hand the British were lacking. “
30% of foreign tourists welcomed to Bordeaux
Inland, the results of attendance is more mixed. “Wine tourism suffers from the absence of distant foreign tourists [notamment asiatiques et américains], but the metropolis of Bordeaux is doing well ”summarizes Pascale Got. European customers are indeed back in the Gironde capital – notably Belgians, Dutch, Germans, Swiss and Spaniards – and represent 30% of tourists welcomed in July, i.e. + 78% compared to July 2020, while French attendance is also on the rise, with among others 27% of neo-Aquitaine.
“We are satisfied with this month of July,” confirms Edouard de Teyssière, reception manager at the Bordeaux metropolis tourist office, since we are seeing an increase of 21% compared to July 2020, this is explained certainly by the weather, which was favorable to urban tourism, with tourists staying on the coast who had to fall back a little on Bordeaux. And this has been confirmed since the beginning of August. People come to visit the landmarks, the Cailhau gate, the Saint-Michel arrow, as well as the Cité du Vin and the Bassins de Lumières. “
Belgians largely in the lead of foreign customers at the Cité du Vin
This trend is confirmed in the most popular Bordeaux site, the City of Wine. Marketing and communication director of the establishment, Solène Jaboulet observed an increase in attendance of + 15% compared to July 2020, despite the implementation of the health pass which impacted attendance during the first week of its entry into force. .
“We are 26% of foreign visitors, an increase of 52% compared to July 2020. Even if their share is usually over 60% for a normal month of July, things are much better, thanks in particular to Belgians, far ahead of everyone, she analyzes. At the same time, we also have a lot of Bordelais since we have set up a special offer for our five years, and admission is half price for the inhabitants of the metropolis. “