A new survey commissioned from French research agency Contours by Agence Savoie Mont Blanc (the Tourist Board for the Savoie and Haute-Savoie departments) looked at visitors' holiday intentions and aspirations this summer and found reasons for optimism.

Between 21 and 29 April 2022, Contours contacted travellers from the region's four main markets about their travel plans for the summer, collating responses from 1,138 French, 841 British, 866 Belgian and 720 Dutch potential visitors.

Twenty four percent of overnight stays in Savoie Mont Blanc are accounted for by visitors from abroad.

The survey found the following:

• Savoie Mont Blanc remains uncontested as the prime mountain destination in France, outstripping the southern Alps and the Pyrenees.
• More people are intending to travel this year (20% more than at this time in 2021, with even a slight increase on pre-COVID numbers), and across the markets there's both a greater number of advance bookings and a lower number of respondents who are still undecided about where or whether to holiday – meaning there is expected to be a higher than usual number of last-minute bookings, especially for short breaks and for attractive late deals.
• In Britain, 3.3 out of 10 visitors are definitely going on holiday (versus 2.5 in 2021), 3.4 out of 10 are still undecided (versus 2.5 in 2021) and 3.3 are definitely not going (versus 5 in 2021).
• This is in spite of anxieties about geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties, which are now a greater consideration than health concerns among most travellers.
• Many travellers are planning a longer holiday this year after the frustrations of the pandemic restrictions. Sixty percent of Brits planning to go on holiday aim to go away for one to two weeks.
• There has been a return to pre-COVID habits when it comes to the choice of destination, with the mountains as popular as ever among those who appreciate their many benefits for summer visitors.
• In choosing a destination, the main criteria influencing visitors were sunshine (43%), places to swim (37%), nature/open spaces/contemplation (32%), tranquility/lack of crowds (23%) and unknown places/new discoveries (22%).
• Of the four markets, Brit travellers lag far behind in considering the mountains as a summer destination – not only for its activities, unique accommodation and renowned regional food and drink, but for its value as a safe haven thanks to its fresh air, open spaces and relative remoteness.
• The most popular activities among those who already frequent the mountains in summer are walking/hiking, food and drink (regional produce, vineyard visits, local markets), swimming in lakes, rivers and pools, relaxation, cycling and family activities.

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Notes to editors:

Savoie Mont Blanc covers two-thirds of the French Alps and includes world-famous mountain resorts such as Val d'Isère, Méribel, Morzine-Avoriaz and Chamonix, as well as smaller ones including Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc, Valloire, Le Grand Bornand and many more. Savoie Mont Blanc is easy to access by train, car and plane (airports include Chambéry, Grenoble, Lyon and Geneva). www.savoie-mont-blanc.com

For more information, contact Céline Guillermin at L'Agence Savoie Mont Blanc or Rhonda Carrier or Lucy Bairstow at AVIAREPS UK.

celine.guillermin@agencesmb.com

rcarrier@aviareps.com

lbairstow@aviareps.com

Picture credits: Savoie Mont Blanc – Seb Montaz