The first impact of the trade war caused by US President Donald Trump’s duties have begun to be observed to be observed. tourism by the USA in Europe.
However, tourism agencies do not see reasons of concern, believing that a decline in demand by the US can be offset by visitors from other countries. The tourism industry “is significantly influenced by the general macroeconomic climate, purchasing power and exchange rate,” French Tourism Minister Natalie Delatt said today (10.4.2025) on the French RTL broadcasting network.
As she said, tourism players recorded for May holidays “a slight fall in American tourism: minus 3% for conferences and minus 4% for business tourism”.
“However, we are offset by other tourists, especially from Canada, who is removed from the US – Canadians travel to larger numbers in France and in our overseas territories,” Delatr said.
The Air France-KLM air carrier administration, for its part, recorded a “slight slowdown” in ticket sales on European and US flights.
“The number of premium (higher cost) reservations remains stable. We don’t see any changes right now, “Air France-KLM chief executive Benjamin Smith told CNBC.
On the other hand, “we see a slight deceleration (in bookings) for financial positions, but when we reduce prices slightly, volumes (of reservations) come back immediately,” he added, clarifying that this is “sales of both Europe and North America”.
French hoteliers are slowing demand for both business and leisure trips, Veronik Sisel, president of the UMIH Hoteliers Association, of the main organization of employers in the industry, told the French Agency.
“While we have not yet measured the phenomenon for American customers, we are seeing a clear deceleration in bookings associated with general economic uncertainty,” he said.
The level of booking for May holidays is less than expectations, although there may be some last -minute bookings, especially because of the weather, Sisel added.
This perspective is confirmed by Christian Gizer, head of the German NUMA hotel hotel group, with about a hundred facilities across Europe: “We feel some uncertainty to customers, which is not surprising. For us, reservations are at the same level as last year and we expect better. “
“It reminds me a bit of the beginning of COVID-19, when everything was difficult to predict, less intensely naturally, but it requires great flexibility,” Geiser told the French Agency.
He also stresses that rising euro exchange rate could have a “light effect” on demand outside Europe, while “Europeans will probably choose more travel within Europe”.
Something based on French hoteliers: “We expect that Europeans planning to visit US parks, etc., this summer will change their plans and decide to stay in Europe; the Mediterranean basin is expected to benefit from it and hopefully.”
According to the latest data from the Paris Tourism Office, international air arrivals expected from 1st to 30th April 2025 are increased by 16% compared to last year.
And for the ‘North America’ zone, from April 1 to July 31, air reservations are increased by 13%: elements that are currently of no concern.
“This increase is partly due to wealthy customers, as first and foremost bookings have also increased by 13% during this period,” the tourist agency notes in its monthly barometer.
Source: RES – EIA