Brit tourism down 22% but hopes are high
Tourism officials are hoping Deauville’s new summer air link to London and a weaker euro will help reverse a substantial decline in the number of British visitors to Normandy.
The economic crisis and unfavourable exchange rates meant the number of nights spent by Britons in the region fell by 22.1% last year.
The figure has been below the symbolic one-million nights a year mark since 2008 and the number of stays has fallen by 41.7% since 2003.
Tourist board head of research Marie-Gabrielle Clément said Normandy had so far missed out on the rapid growth of low-cost air travel as the budget airlines tend to prefer French destinations south of the Loire.
However they hope that will change now that CityJet has launched a regular service from London City airport to Deauville and holidaymakers are starting to get more euros to their sterling. One pound currently buys about €1.22 – whereas this time last year the rate was around €1.10.
The CityJet route opened on June 24 and will operate for three months until September 27. Airport director Desmond O’Flynn told The Advertiser: “The new London City route is a milestone for Deauville airport as the first-ever scheduled route proposed by an airline carrier based in the London region.
“This service will cater specifically for the UK short breaks market into Normandy, the large number of UK property owners in the region and French expats living in Greater London who may need a little nostalgic break back in France.
“It will also facilitate people in Normandy who wish to visit London, as well as the French business traveller who can access a wide range of connections from London City into the UK, Ireland, Europe and even New York.”
CityJet chief executive Geoffrey O’Byrne said: “We’re delighted to be the first to offer flights to this attractive destination.
“Normandy is immensely popular with British holidaymakers, families and second homeowners and has a large population of British expats.
“The frequent services we’ll be offering will cater to that market as well as open up access to this stunning holiday region, with beautiful beaches and countryside, to a wider audience.”
Britons are still the biggest visitors to Normandy, representing 33% of all holidaymakers here.
The next biggest nationalities are the Dutch (26%), Belgians (14%) and Germans (11%).
The link to London is OK as a beginning….but there needs to be an air link to Normandy from the Midlands (Birmingham/East Midlands) and North (Manchester, Robin Hood etc). There is not much point in flights that require a long trip south to access. Its much easier and quicker for us to get from our home in Staffordshire to the South of France/Dordogne than to get to our 2nd home 25 miles south of Deauville. That is why Normandy is missing out. Ferries are all very well if you are staying for 5 days or more…but it makes weekends impossible because travelling takes too long.
So, East Midlands to Deauville for example? It will cut out that long drive down to the south coast that is the killer for most people Northy of London who want to be able to make a short stay in the region.