SUMMARY
Against a backdrop of international geopolitical tensions, rising energy costs, and inflationary pressure, Alliance France Tourisme, in partnership with Ifop, has published a survey on French people’s vacation plans for the summer of 2026. Summer 2026 confirms a sharp slowdown in travel. 68% of French people plan to take at least a one-week vacation, a 9-point drop compared to 2025; only 37% say they are certain to travel, compared to 50% last year. Inequalities in access to vacations remain pronounced: 84% of higher-income groups plan to go on vacation, compared with only 58% of lower-income groups.
Vacations are becoming more constrained from a budgetary standpoint, with an average budget of €1,530— down by about €150 from last year. They are primarily funded by savings (86% of French people). As a result, 51% of French people plan to reduce their vacation budget, primarily by adjusting the length or frequency of their trips (61%), cutting expenses while on vacation (60%), and seeking out more affordable deals (47%).
In this context, the French are favoring destinations that are accessible and perceived as safe: 71% are choosing France (+3 percentage points compared to 2025), versus 23% for Europe and only 9% for distant destinations. Thus, 68% of French people plan to use their personal vehicles, while 24% would fly and 18% would take the train—a figure that has remained stable.
Accommodation choices reflect a shift in the tourism landscape. A three-pronged trend— a relative decline in online booking platforms, the rise of non-commercial options, and the growth of budget accommodations —reflects increasingly constrained trade-offs between cost, proximity, and safety, and signals a shift of a portion of tourism spending away from the commercial sector.
Finally, digital behaviors are also changing. 28% of French people prefer to disconnect completely, while 24% share content only within a limited circle. Only 18% actively post about their vacations, a practice that remains more common among younger people.
Keywords: budget, costs, destinations, length of stay, lodging, non-commercial lodging, inequalities, purchase intentions, modes of transportation, rental platforms, tourism, summer vacations, France, Europe, International.
Illustration: © Alliance France Tourisme x Ifop
