Amadeus Says Paris Travel is Up for Olympics

How are the Summer Olympic Games affecting travel to France? Comme ci, comme ça—a mixed bag, depending upon who you talk to.

Bookings to France for the two weeks the 2024 Summer Olympics will be held in Paris (July 26 to Sunday, Aug. 11) are up 52 percent compared to the same period in 2023, according to travel technology firm Amadeus.

International air travel increased 56 percent between July 24 and Aug. 13, while domestic air travel within France increased 31 percent.

In some host cities for the Olympic Games, hotel occupancy rates have more than doubled, according to data compiled by Amadeus through June 6.

It’s Not All Fun and Games in Paris

However, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastien lamented in a recent interview with CNBC that the airline expects to lose $100 million due to the Olympics’ negative impact on non-sports-related travel to Paris.

“Unless you’re going to the Olympics, people aren’t going to Paris…very few are,” said Bastian. “Business travel, you know, other types of tourism is potentially going elsewhere.”

Delta, the official airline partner of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, has the most flights to Paris of any U.S. airline and is a codeshare partner of Air France.

Separately, Air France reported to investors that it expected to lose $195 million in revenue between June and August because of the Paris Olympics.

“International markets show a significant avoidance of Paris,” the company said in an earnings forecast released July 1. “Travel between the city and other destinations is also below the usual June-August average as residents in France seem to be postponing their holidays until after the Olympic Games or considering alternative travel plans.”

Bastian predicted that travel to France would rebound once the games end, however.

According to Amadeus, 72 percent more travelers than normal will visit Paris during the Olympics, and 16 percent more are expected during the Paralympics that immediately follow.

Lille, another host city, has seen bookings grow 203 percent over 2023, while bookings to Bordeaux and Marseille are up a more modest 38 percent.

Amadeus reported that most of the Olympics-related growth in tourism comes from international travelers.