Question 7758 — hotel and catering

Summary

Rural tourism rightly benefits from a positive image (art of living, diversity of landscapes, important cultural and natural heritage, etc.) and represents almost a third of French tourist numbers. Following the publication, in 2015, of a roadmap “17 measures to make France a flagship destination for ecotourism”, an “eco-tourism” center of excellence was created. In addition, the ministry responsible for tourism supports the development of sectors linked to “slow tourism” and promotes qualifying national brands, quality tourism, bike reception, hiking destinations. The Government is also monitoring and will ensure that sufficient accommodation and catering capacities are maintained in rural areas and near ecotourism routes. If in rural areas, hotels have low occupancy scores and are of small capacity (20 rooms on average per establishment), guest rooms and furnished tourist accommodation are increasingly taking over. There are nearly 33,167 guest rooms (representing nearly 100,000 beds if we take an average of 3 rooms per operator) and nearly 60,000 furnished rooms (or nearly 200,000 beds) for networks alone such as Gîtes de France, Clévacances and Fleurs de Soleil. France maintains a good network of tourist accommodation network with a diversified offer (hotels, lodges, guest houses, outdoor hotels, tourist residences, furnished rentals, etc.). The development of furnished tourist rentals and guest rooms is a major asset in France's policy of welcoming and tourist attractiveness. Our country has 28.4 million primary residences and 3.3 million secondary residences. All suggests that the tourist potential of furnished tourist rentals and guest rooms will continue to develop in France. Furnished tourist rentals and guest rooms also represent an important vector of individual entrepreneurship to ensure additional income for households, in exchange for a quality tourist reception service. The Government's concern is to support the development of these modes of hosting, while ensuring that fair competition is maintained with other modes of hosting and making digital platforms more responsible. Cafés in rural areas and country bistros also play an essential role in the attractiveness and cohesion of territories. These establishments have the advantage of meeting the needs of three types of public: traders, first of all bistro owners, in the midst of change, who need to better structure themselves and promote their offers; consumers, by definition demanding, who need guarantees, a readable and accessible offer (consumers in fact express strong expectations in terms of professionalism and quality of service; they also expect to find, in all regions and at affordable prices, services of proximity, a real quality of welcome in the cafes and bistros and quality products on their plate); finally, local elected officials, a significant proportion of bistro owners with communal premises. Since 1993, the network of “country bistros” has promoted the creation, maintenance, and requalification of rural bistros offering a non-standardized offering. A true innovation, the “country bistro” label was created 24 years ago to support rural bistros, often unique places of social connection and the only local service points still present in many villages. This operation is part of the movement of local development, support for professionalism, innovation, quality and the transmission of these businesses. This network is developing a swarming strategy, with a view to better coverage of rural areas. He is looking for responses better adapted to requests from economic players, local elected officials, tourists and consumers on a national scale. It affirms the social function of these local businesses which certainly have a tendency to become rarer, but it also aims to strengthen their competitiveness and share good practices. Finally, this network promotes existing service offerings and highlights local productions and local products in a logic of proximity, in order to promote, particularly in terms of oenology, more qualitative consumption and the French art of living.  As with accommodation, we cannot today speak of a structural deficit in the catering offer in rural areas, even if it must constantly ensure its quality in order to meet its public.

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