b.courtin

📈 Key facts from March 2025: Easter weekend timing impacted hotel occupancy comparison with March 2024; early weeks showed significant attendance growth, with a missing surge in the last week. Capital sees steady international visitors, especially Americans. French socio-economic gloom heavily affects budget and economic hotels relying on domestic clientele and industrial/construction business activity. Alternative accommodation types like short-term rentals see double-digit booking increases. High occupancy rates at the year's start, with Parisian luxury hotels benefiting from Fashion Week, increasing occupancy rates and average prices.

📣 Lighthouse, formerly known as OTA Insight, completed its service expansion by acquiring The Hotels Network, a specialist in digital marketing for hotel direct sales, in late 2023. The company, based in Barcelona and founded in 2015 by Juanjo Rodriguez, boasts 20,000 hotel clients across 100+ countries, achieving a 32% average increase in direct bookings for its partners. Lighthouse secured a $370M funding round from KKR to finance acquisitions and enhance AI-driven marketing strategies.

🎧 Lady Gaga's upcoming European tour, including concerts in Paris on November 17, 18, 19, 2025, and Lyon on November 13 and 14, 2025, has driven a significant surge in flight searches. As reported by eDreams, flight searches to Lyon spiked by +817% compared to the previous day and +560% compared to the week before the announcement in late March. Paris saw a +45% increase over the previous day and +26% week-over-week. Similarly, Beyoncé's concerts in Paris on June 18, 19, and 21, 2025, resulted in international flight bookings rising +37% on June 18, +45% on June 19, +25% on June 20, and +23% on June 21, as per Paris Tourism Office data.

🏖️ Acquired in July 2023, Vacancéole joined Villages Clubs du Soleil for a full year with positive results. 590,000 guests (140,000 from Vacancéole) stayed across 120 operational sites (17 being Villages Club), totaling 38,000 beds (8,000 at Villages Club). Revenue reached €142M, with Villages Clubs du Soleil earning €81M and Vacancéole €61M. 2024 is a transition year, aiming to create a major tourism accommodation group in France with a focus on social and solidarity economy.

🏨 The French RevPAR increased by 2.2% in February 2025 compared to February 2024, with a slight occupancy rate improvement (less than 1 point) and near 1% average price increase. Budget and very budget hotels stabilized their occupancy rates between 54-56%, despite economic slowdown and real estate challenges, contributing to the sector's resilience. Higher hotel categories benefited from international leisure clients and a favorable dollar-to-euro exchange rate.

🏕 PAI Partners, major shareholder of European Camping Group operating Eurocamp and Homair, sells a stake to Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. European Camping Group, a leader in European outdoor hospitality in 11 countries, grew from 280 to over 450 sites with 56,000 pitches and 48,000 mobile homes. The company saw a 15% compound annual growth rate and a tripling of results. The growth strategy will continue with new investment, aiming for further geographic diversification and operational optimization.