Tourism, a proven economic power
Région Sud accounts for 65% of French tourism growth.
During the “Rendez-vous en France” trade show in Nice, François de Canson, president of the Comité Régional de Tourisme (CRT), reaffirmed the strategy of a sustainable and balanced tourism. While France confirmed its position as the world's leading destination in 2025 with 102 million international travelers, the event brought together 1,850 professionals, including 814 buyers from 52 countries, for more than 28,000 business meetings. On this occasion, François de Canson unveiled a regional strategy that aims to be a model for the future: a less concentrated, more sustainable, and economically resilient tourism: “Our region has created 700,000 additional hotel nights since 2019, representing 65% of French growth. Far from being taken for granted, this success is the result of a collective strategic vision. Our tourism industry is not an annuity. We must fight together every day.” This strength is also measured by its capacity for resilience in the face of a tense international context. While the crisis in the Proche et Moyen-Orient impacts long-haul clienteles, the region is already observing shifts of travelers in search of a “refuge destination.” This solidity is explained by a clear choice of market diversification, a “crisis buffer” built over the years. The cornerstone of this performance lies in a profound transformation of the tourism model. No more summer-only, make way for activity spread throughout the year.
WINTER GAMES 2030
“For decades, tourism has been concentrated on a few weeks, in a few places. Today, we are doing exactly the opposite. We spread, we distribute, we balance. In ten years, while summer attendance has remained stable, it has grown by 10% in spring and autumn, and by 13% in winter. The most striking example is the “Winter is the New Summer” campaign, which, with nearly three million euros invested each year, has repositioned Côte d’Azur as a leading winter destination. The hotel occupancy rate there has increased by 7% in winter, making this season “an obvious choice” and no longer just an alternative,” explained the president of the CRT. Looking to the future, Région Sud views the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games of 2030 as a historic opportunity. For François de Canson, they are not an end in themselves but a powerful lever: “We are not hosting the Games to shine for two weeks on television. We are welcoming these games to prepare the mountain of tomorrow. The ambition is to leave a legacy of local anchoring. An accelerator for decarbonized mobility like the train, a catalyst for structuring the Alpine economic sectors, and a wonderful tool to strengthen the image of Nice and its mountains on the international stage.”