Travel Demand for France Surges Ahead of 2024 Summer Olympics

Travel Demand for France Surges Ahead of 2024 Summer Olympics

By Nithyakala Neelakandan

Published on July 17, 2024

The Olympics is one of the global events that can significantly boost both travel and advertising sectors. This year, spending on advertisements for events such as the Super Bowl, Olympics, and European Championship is projected to hit $61 billion. These events not only increase ad revenues but also drive substantial travel demand. For instance, flight bookings to Singapore surged by 63% before the F1 Grand Prix, and trips to Qatar were booked well in advance of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Such events also maintain interest in host destinations long after they conclude. Following the Qatar World Cup, international lodging searches in the country rose by 79-255%.

Similarly, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, 2024, the Olympics is expected to attract 10,500 athletes from 206 countries, marking the largest event ever hosted in France.

Paris Sees a Spike in Flight Bookings

Paris is already a top tourist destination, with 6.3 million visitors to the Eiffel Tower in 2023 alone. The upcoming Olympics are set to enhance this popularity. Since tickets for the 33rd Olympic Games went on sale on November 30, 2023, flight bookings to Paris have increased by 125% compared to the same period last year. Most travelers plan to depart the city as soon as the Olympics end, suggesting many come from countries like the United States, where extended leave is uncommon. The average trip length has shortened to 11 days from 13.2 days in 2023, indicating that the games are influencing travel plans.

Paris remains a favorite summer destination, especially for American travelers. During the Olympic period, 23.8% of flight bookings to Paris are from the United States, followed by Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Spain. The U.S. also led the medal counts in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, likely contributing to the high demand.

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Leveraging Increased Travel Demand

Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) can benefit from the heightened travel interest by using continuous, multichannel marketing strategies. Noreen Henry, Chief Revenue Officer at Sojern, said “By using the right channels throughout the year—not just seasonally—DMOs can reach travelers in the moment and inspire them to think beyond sporting events. Not only do always-on, multichannel campaigns give DMOs better insights, but these types of campaigns enable them to maximize their budgets, do more with less, and get in front of travelers at every stage of the planning cycle.”

Travel Data from Amadeus Shows Significant Increases

Amadeus, a leading provider of travel technology, also reports a surge in travel interest. As of June 6, 2024, international air travel to France is up 56% for the Olympic period from July 24 to August 13. Domestic air travel within France has increased by 31%. Paris, in particular, is expecting 72% more travelers than the same period last year. The Paralympics, from August 28 to September 8, will boost travel to Paris by 16%, especially from the United States, Spain, and Canada.

Lille, hosting basketball and handball events, anticipates a 203% increase in visitors compared to last summer, with domestic travel growing by 300% and international travel by 181%. Bordeaux, hosting football, and Marseille, hosting sailing and football, also see significant increases in bookings, both up by 38%.

With the Olympics approaching, the hospitality sector in France is gearing up for a busy season, driven by substantial increases in both international and domestic travel bookings.


Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Reports Rs 13 Crore Net Profit in Q1 FY26

Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Reports Rs 13 Crore Net Profit in Q1 FY26

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on August 18, 2025

Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited (ASPHL) announced its financial results for Q1 FY26, recording a net profit of Rs 13 crore. Revenue from operations stood at Rs 154 crore, a 14% increase year-on-year, while operating EBITDA grew 16% YoY to Rs 45 crore. The company maintained an industry-leading occupancy of 92%, reaffirming its leadership in the hospitality sector.

ASPHL’s growth is fueled by expansion into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. The company recently signed an MoU to acquire and manage four leisure properties in Goa, Manali, Shimla, and Dharamshala, adding 138 rooms under its brand. These steps align with ASPHL’s strategy to broaden its presence in high-potential tourism destinations and double its key count to 5,750 over the next five years.

Flurys, ASPHL’s iconic bakery and confectionery brand, now operates 102 outlets nationwide, reflecting the company’s focus on expanding its market presence while integrating modern amenities with rich cultural heritage.

Commenting on the performance, Vijay Dewan, Managing Director, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, said,

"We have delivered an extraordinary and best-ever Q1, setting a strong momentum for the year ahead. With topline growth of 14% and EBITDA growth of 16%, we recorded India’s highest occupancy of 92% and maintained leadership in RevPAR in the upper-upscale segment. ARR improved by 13% and RevPAR increased by 12%. With nearly 600 new rooms added, including a 41% rise in our asset-light model, and nationwide Flurys rollout, we are poised to scale faster, enhance margins, and deliver exceptional shareholder value."

ASPHL’s strong performance in Q1 FY26 underscores its strategic focus on market expansion, operational excellence, and premium guest experiences.


Marriott Announces Dividend and Expands Share Buyback Plan

Marriott Announces Dividend and Expands Share Buyback Plan

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on August 10, 2025

Marriott International, Inc. has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 67 cents per share on its common stock, reaffirming its commitment to delivering shareholder value. The dividend will be paid on September 30, 2025, to shareholders who are on record as of August 21, 2025.

Alongside the dividend announcement, the hospitality giant also revealed an expansion of its share repurchase program. The board of directors has authorized the repurchase of an additional 25 million shares of its Class A common stock. This comes in addition to the approximately 7.4 million shares that were still available under previous authorizations as of July 30, 2025.

Marriott has already bought back 6.4 million shares this year, amounting to $1.7 billion. These moves reflect the company’s continued confidence in its financial stability and long-term performance, aiming to strengthen shareholder value through strategic capital allocation.


Chennai Postal Services Still Disrupted: Experts Call for Alternative Systems Amid Software Transition

Chennai Postal Services Still Disrupted: Experts Call for Alternative Systems Amid Software Transition

By Author

Published on August 4, 2025

In what was intended to be a smooth digital transformation, postal services across the Chennai Circle continue to remain disrupted even days after a scheduled upgrade to India Post's new IT 2.0 system. The software transition—part of a broader effort to modernize the nation’s postal network—was implemented on August 2nd and 4th across Chennai North and South divisions. However, officials have now confirmed that technical issues still persist, leaving customers and businesses grappling with delayed or inaccessible services.

Key services such as Speed Post, registered mail, parcel bookings, and money orders have either been significantly slowed or paused altogether in many branches. Despite expectations that systems would normalize post-upgrade, the rollout of the Advanced Postal Technology (APT) system has proven more complex than anticipated.

“We are still working on stabilizing the system. There have been unforeseen glitches post-upgrade, and our teams are actively resolving them,” said a senior postal official who requested anonymity.

The disruption has raised concerns across industries—including the hospitality sector—where timely document dispatch, license renewals, vendor payments, and customer correspondence are crucial to daily operations.

Experts and industry stakeholders are now calling on India Post to introduce alternative operational strategies or backup mechanisms during such large-scale transitions.

“In a digital age where seamless service is non-negotiable, a complete blackout due to a software update is avoidable. A fallback process, whether manual or cloud-based, should be in place to ensure continuity,” said a Chennai-based hospitality consultant.

The hospitality industry relies heavily on postal services for legal documentation, international communication, and procurement logistics. The ongoing delays have caused bottlenecks not just in operations but also in customer experience delivery.

As authorities continue to work toward a resolution, the broader question remains: Should India’s essential public infrastructure be this vulnerable to a single system upgrade? The answer may lie in future-proofing core services with hybrid digital models that include disaster recovery plans and parallel systems.


Hospitalitynews.in will continue to track updates as the situation evolves.

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