When you belong to the world of tourism, it would be unforgivable not to be delighted that France, and in particular its capital, will be the showcase for the whole world in 2024.

 

As part of the tourism community, it’s exciting to look forward to France, especially Paris, being in the spotlight for the whole world in 2024.

 

Or: As members of the tourism industry…
 

The intense preparations for this moment of joy, sporting excitement and festivities must not, however, lead us to sacrifice the long term for the immediate.

 

The French hotel industry, in all its richness and diversity, is certainly benefiting from exceptional momentum, but it must not lose sight of the fact that success is built over time. It must demonstrate its ability to remain loyal to its business travellers and corporate customers, whose contribution is fundamental and will last well beyond this fleeting moment. If we can adopt an approach based on customer loyalty throughout this period 2024, we will be able to capitalise on the opportunities offered by the Olympic Games, while ensuring the continued prosperity of the hospitality industry. Together, let’s build strong partnerships with our business travellers to make 2024 and the years to come a memorable and successful time for all” says Ziad Minkara, CEO CDS Groupe.

 

For the 3rd year running, CDS Groupe’s business hotel barometer provides an overview of the situation in France and Europe. The inflationary trend has continued in France in 2023 under the combined effect of several factors: the massive return of international tourists creating pressure on the occupancy rate, the Rugby World Cup, and the impact of rising service costs (energy, food, staff). The dynamism of the leisure clientele is affecting room availability, with inevitable repercussions on corporate prices. The pressure is unlikely to ease in 2024 with the impact of the Paris Olympics. While hoteliers are delighted about this, business travellers could suffer.

 

This summary is based on the round table discussion “Business hotel barometer: What trends for 2024? at the Grand Live du Voyage d’affaires, held on 18 January 2024, organised by CDS Groupe in partnership with IFTM Top Resa and moderated by François-Xavier Izenic with Vanessa Heydorff, Managing Director France of Booking.com, Vanguelis Panayotis, CEO of MKG Consulting, Philippe Mettey, VP Sales & Marketing of The Ascott Group, and Ziad Minkara, CEO of CDS Groupe.

Download the Business Travel Report dedicated to trends in the business hotel sector.