France’s hotel revenue per room rose 8% in September

France’s hotel market picked up speed in September, with room revenue rising much faster than it did in midsummer, though the gains were driven largely by higher prices rather than a sharp jump in demand.

L’Echo touristique reported on Thursday, November 5, citing the latest barometer from In Extenso Tourisme, Culture & Hôtellerie, that revenue per available room, or RevPAR, rose 8% year over year across the French hotel market covered by the survey. That was a clear improvement from the 2% year-over-year increase recorded in July and August, a rise of 6 percentage points in the pace of growth.

The September increase in RevPAR does not mean hotels sold 8% more rooms. RevPAR combines two factors: the average room rate and occupancy. In September, average prices rose 6% from a year earlier, while occupancy reached 75%. The figures indicate that much of the market’s stronger performance came from pricing.

That distinction matters for reading the state of the market. A rise in revenue can reflect stronger traveler demand, higher tariffs, or a mix of both. In France in September, the barometer points to a market that improved after the summer period, but with the advance in room income supported mainly by higher rates.

The same pattern appeared outside the country’s most prominent tourism areas. Excluding Île-de-France and the French Riviera, RevPAR increased 5% year over year in September. In those areas, occupancy reached 72%, up 2 percentage points from a year earlier, while the average room rate rose to €117 before tax, a 3% increase.

Those regional figures suggest a more balanced combination of price and occupancy growth outside the biggest destinations, though pricing still remained an important part of the gain. A 2-point increase in occupancy shows that more rooms were filled than a year earlier, but the rise in average rates also contributed materially to the increase in room revenue.

The September data also underline a split within the national market. France’s major tourism hubs, especially the Paris region and the Mediterranean coast, often have more room to push rates because of stronger international visibility and heavier seasonal traffic. Outside those areas, the survey still showed growth, but at a slower pace than the national market as a whole.

All of the changes cited in the barometer were nominal, meaning they were measured in current prices. That is important in a period when rate increases can lift revenue figures even if the volume of rooms sold does not rise at the same pace. In practical terms, the September headline number points to a healthier market than in July and August, but not to an equivalent jump in hotel demand.

The figures from In Extenso’s barometer, as cited by L’Echo touristique, show a French hotel sector that entered the fall with stronger revenue momentum than it had during the latter part of the summer. They also show that the recovery was not driven only by fuller hotels. In September, occupancy stood at 75% nationally, while average rates moved higher, and outside Île-de-France and the French Riviera, hotels posted 72% occupancy and an average room price of €117 before tax.