New Taxes: Jean-Virgile Crance Alert on the Holiday Brake for the French

IN BRIEF

Tax increases in the 2025 finance bill threaten the accessibility of holidays for the French.
Jean-Virgile Crance denounces a cumulative set of tax measures that burden the tourism sector.
Taxation particularly affecting air transport, leading to higher costs for travelers.
The new taxes could encourage the French to abandon France in favor of other European destinations like Spain.
Absence of dialogue with the authorities when adopting these measures.
Significant impact on purchasing power and employment in the tourism sector.
Urgent need to reconsider taxation to protect the industry and ensure access to holidays.

The French tourism landscape is in turmoil. As the 2025 finance bill approaches, the president of the Confederation of Tourism Actors, Jean-Virgile Crance, expresses serious concerns regarding a series of new taxes that could drastically impact the accessibility of holidays for the French. According to him and other industry experts, these tax measures risk not only burdening household purchasing power but also further destabilizing a sector already struggling due to the health crisis.

An overwhelming tax burden on the tourism sector #

Jean-Virgile Crance denounces what he calls a true “avalanche of taxes” piling up on the tourism sector. Among the proposed measures are increases in the tourist tax, as well as new levies on various aspects such as tourist water consumption and civil security. If adopted, these decisions would impose additional pressure on tourism stakeholders, already in trouble since the shock of the pandemic.

Crance calls for an urgent need to overhaul the tourism tax system to avoid a tax overload that could ultimately backfire on consumers, resulting in a general increase in holiday prices. “We are going to mechanically reduce access for the French to holidays,” he warns, emphasizing that in this challenging context, the French should not be forced to give up what they are entitled to.

Towards a less competitive tourism sector internationally #

The new taxes do not only affect holidaymakers but also tourism professionals who are faced with a dilemma: raise prices to offset increased costs or cut their already very slim margins. The latter choice will inevitably make them less competitive against destinations like Spain, which, according to Crance, is cleverly exploiting the weaknesses of the French market. “Spain is becoming the big European winner in the tourism economy by upgrading its offerings,” he points out.

Economies outside France continue to attract tourists with quality offers and advantageous prices, posing a real risk of disaffection towards French territory. This shift could have disastrous repercussions on the local economy, with a significant loss of tourists choosing to visit other countries, at the expense of employment and economic vitality in France.

A call for dialogue with the authorities #

Despite the urgency of the situation, Jean-Virgile Crance also expresses his frustration at the lack of dialogue between tourism sector representatives and public authorities. “Everything is voted on without consultation,” he states, calling for open and honest discussions on the laws that could profoundly change the fiscal framework of tourism.

He highlights the need for a coherent and comprehensive tax reform that takes into account not only the specificities of the sector but also the impact on consumers. Indeed, while the government is focused on implementing new taxes, the reality on the ground urges us to reconsider our approach, especially with major events such as the Paris Olympics on the horizon.

A sector in search of solutions #

The tourism actors, far from remaining inactive, propose solutions to ease the tax burden. They call for the cancellation of recent surcharges on stays in various regions and advocate for a reassessment of levies on air transport. Experts in the field emphasize the urgency of initiating constructive discussions with the government to ensure the future of the sector.

Crescendo of concerns expressed by Crance, who reaffirms his commitment to defending the interests of French tourism by ensuring that the right to holidays for all French citizens is preserved. The sector, essential to the country’s economy, must not be sacrificed to new impositions. The stakes here go beyond simple economic issues; they touch upon fundamental values related to leisure and holiday access for ALL.