Where to Find Official Tourism Statistics in France: A Guide to the Resources
Planning a business venture in the French tourism sector? Researching tourism trends for a school project? Understanding the dynamics of this vital industry requires reliable data. Fortunately, the French government, through the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty (Ministère de l’Économie, des Finances et de la Souveraineté industrielle et numérique), provides several resources to access official tourism statistics. This guide will point you in the right direction.
The website economie.gouv.fr is a key portal. Specifically, the page titled “Où trouver des informations statistiques officielles sur le tourisme ?” (Where to find official statistical information on tourism?) – last updated May 28, 2025, at 9:03 AM – acts as a central directory for these resources.
While the specific content of that page may change over time, we can outline the general types of information you’re likely to find and the agencies responsible for providing it.
Key Agencies Providing Tourism Statistics in France:
Several organizations contribute to the collection and dissemination of tourism data in France. Here are some of the most important ones:
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INSEE (Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques): The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies is the primary source for official statistics in France. INSEE collects and publishes a wide range of data related to the economy, including tourism. Look for information on:
- Tourist accommodation: Occupancy rates, number of establishments, capacity.
- Tourism expenditure: Spending by tourists (domestic and international).
- Tourism employment: Number of people employed in the tourism sector.
- Economic impact of tourism: Contribution of tourism to the French GDP.
- Household consumption: Data about tourism related spending.
- Regional statistics: Breakdown of tourism data by region.
How to access INSEE data:
- Visit the INSEE website (www.insee.fr).
- Use the search function to look for “tourisme” (tourism).
- Explore the “Thèmes” (Themes) section, often including a dedicated “Tourisme” section.
- Browse the publications and data sets available for download.
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Direction Générale des Entreprises (DGE): The General Directorate for Enterprise, part of the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, plays a central role in promoting and supporting the tourism sector. It is responsible for defining and implementing tourism policy. It often collects and publishes statistics to support those policies. Look for information on:
- Tourism policy updates: Statistics used to inform and evaluate government policy related to tourism.
- Market analysis: Data on specific tourism segments, such as cultural tourism, business tourism, or sustainable tourism.
- International comparisons: Benchmarking French tourism performance against other countries.
How to access DGE data:
- Visit the DGE website (usually accessible through the Ministry of Economy’s website).
- Look for the “Tourisme” section.
- Search for publications, reports, and statistical information.
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Atout France: This is the French Tourism Development Agency. Its role is to promote France as a tourist destination internationally. While not strictly a statistical agency, Atout France often publishes market research and reports that include valuable data on:
- International tourist arrivals: Number of visitors from different countries.
- Tourist profiles: Demographics and travel preferences of international tourists.
- Market trends: Emerging trends in the global tourism market.
How to access Atout France data:
- Visit the Atout France website (en.atout-france.fr – the international version is generally available in English).
- Look for the “Market Insights” or “Research” section.
- Download reports and publications on specific tourism markets.
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Regional Tourism Committees (Comités Régionaux du Tourisme – CRT) and Departmental Tourism Committees (Comités Départementaux du Tourisme – CDT): These regional and departmental organizations often collect and publish tourism statistics specific to their geographic area. They can provide more granular data than national agencies.
How to access CRT/CDT data:
- Search online for the website of the CRT or CDT for the specific region or department you are interested in (e.g., “Comité Régional du Tourisme Île-de-France”).
- Look for the “Chiffres clés” (Key figures) or “Statistiques” (Statistics) section.
Types of Data You Can Expect to Find:
- Arrivals and overnight stays: Number of tourists arriving in France and the number of nights they spend in different types of accommodation.
- Accommodation statistics: Number of hotels, campsites, and other types of tourist accommodation, their capacity, and occupancy rates.
- Tourism expenditure: Spending by tourists on accommodation, food, transportation, activities, and souvenirs.
- Origin of tourists: Countries or regions from which tourists are coming.
- Purpose of visit: Reasons for visiting France, such as leisure, business, or visiting friends and relatives.
- Tourism employment: Number of people employed in the tourism sector, broken down by industry and region.
- Transportation: Data on how tourists are traveling to and within France (e.g., air, rail, road).
- Tourism’s contribution to GDP: The economic impact of tourism on the French economy.
Tips for Finding the Right Data:
- Start with the economie.gouv.fr page: This is your central starting point.
- Use keywords: When searching on the websites of the agencies mentioned above, use specific keywords like “tourisme,” “statistiques,” “hôtellerie,” “arrivées,” “dépenses touristiques,” etc.
- Specify the region or department: If you’re interested in a specific geographic area, include the name of the region or department in your search.
- Check the publication date: Make sure the data is up-to-date.
- Consider the methodology: Understand how the data was collected and analyzed.
- Be patient: Finding the exact data you need may take some time and effort.
- Contact the agencies directly: If you can’t find what you’re looking for online, consider contacting the relevant agency directly for assistance.
In Conclusion:
France offers a wealth of official statistics on the tourism sector. By utilizing the resources mentioned above, you can gain valuable insights into tourism trends, market performance, and the economic impact of this vital industry. Remember to start with the economie.gouv.fr page and then explore the websites of INSEE, DGE, and Atout France. Good luck with your research!
Où trouver des informations statistiques officielles sur le tourisme ?
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The following question was used to generate the response from Google Gemini:
At 2025-05-28 09:03, ‘Où trouver des informations statistiques officielles sur le tourisme ?’ was published according to economie.gouv.fr. Please write a detailed article with related information in an easy-to-understand manner. Please answer in English.
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