Summer holidays: the French travel more but spend less

According to an Ipsos-Europ Assitance survey revealed by France Info, 63% of the French have planned a vacation this summer. That's five points higher than last year. However, they leave with a reduced budget.

French people will go on vacation in higher numbers this summer. This is the first time in three years, according to the annual survey on holiday intentions of Europeans by Ipsos-Europ Assistance which France Info just revealed.

63% of the French will go on holiday this summer, 5% higher than last year. But although their number has increased, they don’t necessarily spend more. The holiday budget is even lower: 2,180 euros on average and is 46 euros less than last year’s.

Carpooling and home exchange

The French found back the road to vacation but have changed their habits. More than half of them will stay in France. Some travel less expensively by choosing carpooling (about 20% of holiday-makers are interested, mainly youth). To lower the holiday budget, they also rely on the exchange of housing of any kind, houses or apartments, choice that appeals to young people too, but especially families with children or those who have to spend their holiday in town.

Summer holidays, it’s all about the budget

It’s all about a thrifty holiday that French notably share with their southern neighbors, Spaniards or Italians whose budgets remain constrained, while those of the Germans or the British are all but rising. On average Europeans plan to spend 2,390 euros in the summer of 2015, 180 euros more than last year. 60% of them take a driving holiday, 6.4% more than in 2014.

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