With the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games looming, Aussies are going for Gallic gold when it comes to stays in France with an up to 210 per cent year-on-year increase in accommodation searches to some surprising destinations.
Booking.com data shows France has piqued Aussie interest ahead of hosting the 33rd Olympic Games from 26 July, comparing accommodation searches between 26 May – 2 June 2024 for check-in dates from 24 July to 11 August 2024 to the same period in 2023.
While Paris is the top choice for Aussies seeking a French summer getaway, beachy cities in southern France and the Côte d’Azur, such as Nice, Marseille, Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Antibes and Menton, also make it into the top 10 accommodation searches.
Search data shows the southern France port of Marseille has received a 70 per cent surge in interest among Aussies compared to the same summer period in 2023.
Meanwhile, year-on-year searches for French Riviera faves Saint-Tropez and Antibes are up 40 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. Under-the-radar Menton also gets a mention – up 55 per cent for accommodation searches.
For foodies, gastronomic capitals Lyon and Bordeaux are also trending as alternative accommodation options away from the crowds.
Marseille, Nice, Lyon, Saint-Etienne, Bourdeaux and Nantes are also hosting some of the Olympic events, prompting a spike in interest in some of these cities.
Historic Strasbourg also reported a whopping 210 per cent year-on-year search increase for stays as Aussies seek out its architectural marvels, German-French culture and picturesque canals.
It follows Amadeus Intelligence data that showed year-on-year demand for Paris flights is up 15 per cent from the Asia-Pacific region.
Qantas starts its first-ever direct Perth-Paris flights on 12 July 2024, while Air France also launched an exclusive lounge for its La Première First Class passengers ahead of Paris 2024.
