“The results collected and analyzed by the Tourist Office of Greater Saint-Émilionnais take stock of a very successful 2022 tourism year, which is reviving dynamic tourist prospects both in France and internationally.» reveals Sandrine Capdevielle, Director of the Tourist Office of Greater Saint-Émilion.
Indicators on the rise
The destination has seen a higher number of visitors this year compared to 2021: +42% visitors in high season (June/July/August) and +81% over the year, with around 200,000 visitors received and informed at the Tourist Office. Knowing that on average 20% of tourists say they walk through the doors of a tourist office during their stay. Saint-Émilion has again exceeded the limit of more than a million visitors to the territory.
The months of September, October and November also attracted many tourists, with a significant increase in visitor numbers: +46% compared to 2021.
The tourist office’s commercial activity has developed with the same flagship product at the top of the bill: the guided tour of underground monuments. A must-see that continues to attract visitors with a 37% increase in visitors compared to 2021.
Likewise, Saint-Émilion Tourisme is seeing an increase in the sales volume of partner offers, online and at the counter.
The return of foreign customers
The French still make up a large part of the clientele, but the office noted a good return of foreign customers this summer ” TOP 5comparable to that of 2019, and a strong comeback from the United States and Canada: 23% Spain, 16% United Kingdom, 15% United States, 8% Germany and 8% Belgium.
New shopping trends
In addition to the increase in visitor numbers, the Tourist Office is doing well thanks to its new boutique line of products, which has sparked renewed interest among its visitors.
The new shopping trends are also reflected in the sales evolution of the online shop: +43% sales for the ticket office of the Tourist Office and its partners compared to 2021.
Group, incoming & seminar: a promising year
The year 2022 confirms the strong comeback of the group and incoming service, with a significant increase in the number of requests received (+73% compared to 2021) and the number of private guides, which has practically doubled compared to the previous year.
” The promotion of the territory’s wine tourism offer through an effective and indispensable tool is a key theme of relations with our members. The Châteaux du Jour, a daily program with up to 5 partner châteaux per day, makes it possible to meet the demand of our visitors and contribute to the development of activity in the region.» explains Jean-François Galhaud, Co-President of the Tourist Office of Greater Saint-Émilion.
“One of Saint-Émilion Tourisme’s main missions is to offer its partners/members a competent service. In 2022, the Thursday Academies have been instrumental in highlighting topical and targeted themes, allowing for the development of knowledge and the exchange of ideas between members/partners, professional speakers and the Tourist Office»adds Jean-Daniel Debart, Co-President of the Tourist Office of Greater Saint-Émilion.
The coordinated actions of all the players in the territory continue to bear fruit, actively contributing to the quality of the welcome and the daily maintenance of customer satisfaction.
The Tourist Office proves this as its e-reputation has grown steadily over the past 2 years, with the number of reviews increasing from 786 to 981 and a consistent rating of 4.5/5.
For the head of the office, the effectiveness of the Tourist Office’s digital strategy has made the tourist offer more accessible, attractive and lively, thereby helping to increase the visibility of partners/members and their activities.
The competition« Tourism Saint-Emilion celebrates the Avent” creates a real observation of the digital impact of the Saint-Emilion Tourisme networks with the highlighting of more than 30 members/partners and a daily visibility of more than 3,000 people.
“At the end of the year we are already looking towards 2023. We are finalizing our future strategy 2023/2024 with an ambitious action plan that takes into account the changing wishes and needs of customers and always focuses on the satisfaction of visitors, and our tourism partners, in the focus of our concernconcludes Sandrine Capdevielle, Director of the Saint-Émilion Tourist Office.
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