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Côte d’Azur Tourism: Nearly 4.5 billion euros in revenue, with 2.2 billion euros attributed to the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis.

The Sirius Economic Observatory of the Nice Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce and Industry publishes a study on the tourism sector of the Alpes-Maritimes: a toolkit for rebounding or expanding, aimed at all professionals.

Despite a series of crises affecting the global economy, the tourism sector has managed to rebound, regaining momentum in France, and specifically in the Alpes-Maritimes, in 2022.

In 2021, this industry represented a value of nearly 4.5 billion euros, providing 46,300 jobs distributed among 8,200 establishments.

For the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, the revenue is 2.2 billion euros, with 3,996 establishments and 22,742 jobs.

The Sirius Economic Observatory conducted a detailed study on the evolution of this key sector of the Azurian economy to identify the current and future challenges it faces.

The hotel and restaurant industry accounts for nearly 80% of the revenue in the tourism sector in the department of Alpes-Maritimes, with over 7,000 establishments and nearly 39,000 employees. The restaurant sector remains predominant, as it encompasses 7 out of 10 businesses in the industry. Therefore, it is not surprising that the majority of companies in the sector are small-scale, with 87% having fewer than 10 employees.

The hotel sector of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis has witnessed remarkable investments in recent years, such as: the inauguration of the 5-star Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, the renovation of Radisson Hotel Nice Airport., the opening of theHôtel Nemea Appart’hôtel Nice Riviera, or the welcoming of an establishment of the OKKO Hotels brand in the business district of Arénas.,…

The confidence of business leaders in the Hotels-Cafés-Restaurants (HCR) sector varies according to the economic scale. Thus, at the beginning of 2023, 70% of them were very or somewhat concerned about the global economy, a concern that drops to 43% for the local economy and 32% for their own business. This could be explained by the resilience gained over multiple crises and their competence in managing issues related to their field of activity.

The Observatory also conducted a study on the typology of the territory to help decision-makers understand the motivations and needs of tourists and develop tailored strategies. The territory offers a variety of tourist attractions, ranging from sports destinations to cultural, seaside, and business tourism, and green spaces.

Despite its tourist appeal, not all areas of the department attract tourists to the same extent. The coastline and high mountains are particularly attractive.

For the future, the current market offers several opportunities for development. Among them, sustainable tourism stands out, offering a solution to the threats associated with climate change and the need to regulate tourist flows. Other trends to watch out for by 2035 include wellness tourism, linked to the aging population, and digital tourism.

Sports tourism also benefits from undeniable appeal with upcoming events such as the Rugby World Cup in September 2023 and the arrival of the Tour de France in Nice in 2024, which will contribute to the local economic benefits of the tourism industry.

You can find the complete study on the website of the Nice Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce and Industry.