Tourism. May bank holidays: tight budgets but a desire to travel elsewhere, how the French plan to take advantage of them

While many sectors are looking ahead to May with some concern, tourism players are rubbing their hands. This year, the May bank holidays are expected to kick off the season with a bang. According to an Ipsos survey for kayak.fr* released in April, 49% of French people planned to take a vacation during one of the long weekends in May. Not necessarily going very far, as 41% of them were considering a getaway to France. The top 3 favorite destinations for those who want to take advantage of the opportunity to visit a city: Nice, Marseille, and Paris.

These desires to leave are accompanied by a desire to control their budget: nearly 40% of travelers want to spend less than 250 euros per person for their stay, while 23% are aiming for a budget between 250 and 500 euros. Only 12% are willing to spend more than 500 euros. To limit costs, the best solution is to stay with a relative or exchange accommodations with another family.

According to figures released by Home Exchange at the end of the week, 2,420 travelers swapped homes on the platform between May 1 and 4, 1,825 for the May 8 bank holiday, and 2,320 for the Ascension Day bank holiday. So far, scheduled home exchanges for the month of May have increased by 30% compared to the same period last year.

The fact remains that 31% of French people are considering spending at least one night in paid accommodation during the May bank holidays, according to a study** by the Protourisme firm. "The strain on purchasing power is pushing some households to book only at the last minute to guarantee favorable weather," explains Didier Arino , CEO of Protourisme. Among the French people from the most privileged socio-professional categories who can afford to book paid accommodation, some have opted for a gîte.

The Gîtes de France network also recorded a national occupancy rate of 75% for the month of May. This excellent result can be explained in particular by a wave of last-minute bookings. This is particularly true for gîtes located in Vaucluse, Finistère, Côte-d'Or, Bas-Rhin, and Bouches-du-Rhône.

Among more affluent travelers, some are planning to jet off abroad for a city break. Preferably less than three hours away by plane and in the sun. According to the online travel agency Opodo, the most popular destinations are Marrakech, Barcelona, ​​Lisbon, Madrid, and Palma de Mallorca. These Mediterranean cities are renowned for their climate, gastronomy, and cultural offerings. But they may well be victims of their own success!

*Ipsos. Digital survey for Kayak conducted online from February 21 to 24, 2025, with a sample of 1,000 French people, aged 18 to 75, using the quota method.

**Protourism study carried out between February 24 and March 7, 2025, among a representative panel of 2,100 people planning to go on vacation in 2025.