Lille opened the 112th edition of the Tour, and now it’s Toulouse and Montpellier’s turn to capitalize on the Tour effect. With rising average prices, increased RevPAR and heightened international visibility, these stages confirm the major economic impact of the Grande Boucle for host destinations. While the initial investment remains substantial, the direct spin-offs and tail effects make it a particularly effective tool for tourism development and soft power.
Having analyzed the hotel performances of Lille and Rouen, it’s now time for the south of France to shine, with Toulouse and Montpellier being key stages on this route. The Ville Rose, in particular, gave the riders a chance to rest after a hectic first part of the Tour.
Toulouse sees life in pink
“To have a day of rest, then the start and finish in the same city is exceptional. All the departments at the town hall have been fully mobilized for months now,” Benoît Auvray, Head of Research & Development at the Toulouse Métropole Attractiveness Agency, told France 3.
And while hosting the Tour de France for two days represents a certain cost, close to one million euros, the spin-offs from this event justify such an investment. “It’s economic activity as a whole that will be positively impacted: hotels, restaurants, shopkeepers,” Patrice Vassal, Director of the Toulouse Métropole Attractiveness Agency, rightly points out.
“This is the best communication campaign a city can afford. – Patrice Vassal, Director, Toulouse Métropole Attractiveness Agency
Average daily rates rise and rise
Tour de France 2025 – Toulouse par Hospitality ON
The Ville Rose’s occupancy rate stood at 76.9% over the period, up 2.1 points on last year. As a reminder, the city had not hosted the Tour since 2019.
And while the increase in hotel occupancy in Toulouse may not appear to be colossal, it’s worth noting that the city’s events calendar is extremely full this summer. The 2024 summer season was no exception, with Les Siestes Électroniques, the Toulouse Festival and the Bricks Festival.
What did increase, however, was the average daily rate, which posted double-digit growth (+15%). The anticipation of the event enabled Toulouse hoteliers to play the yield management card to the full, as was the case in…
