The Tourist and Convention Authority: a review of the summer season

Bilan du tourisme estival 2023 © Manuel Vitali - Direction de la Communication

As the summer season draws to a close, it's time for the Tourist and Convention Authority and its Director Guy Antognelli to make a review.

With an occupancy rate of 75% in July and 72% in August, although not as high as in 2019, 2023 was still undoubtedly a good year. Guy Antognelli states, "Monaco attracts a fantastic clientele," and goes on to emphasise the value of excellence: "Monaco is a place like nowhere else, it's unique because of its size, history, the consistency of what is on offer and the level of excellence that can be found everywhere: in the shops, the restaurants, and the hotels. We strive to ensure that everyone can appreciate the quality and excellence; whatever the range of products you choose, the quality must always be consistent, which is what all the private partners aim to achieve in the Principality."

Where do tourists to the Principality come from? "The top three for the summer, which is also the top three since the start of the year, is France, the United States and Great Britain, Italy ranks fourth. What we are seeing overall, compared to 2019, is growth in customers outside Europe, including a sharp increase from the Middle East."

However, the Asian market is only just starting to pick up again. "Japan has bounced back this year, China is at just under 40% of its level of outbound tourism in 2019, so it's still a bit complicated, yet more Australians are visiting Monaco than in 2019. These are markets with a bright future for the Principality. We'll be seeing a lot more of them in 2024," predicts the Director of the Tourist and Convention Authority.

With the summer season behind us, the Tourist and Convention Authority is now focusing on the autumn and the ‘big business’ tourism period: Monaco Yacht Show, Les Assises security convention, Luxe Pack, Sportel, etc. "These are all major events that are sold out and some of them will attract more participants than in previous years. Applications for 2024, 2025 and 2026 are already pouring in, which proves that the Principality remains a popular venue for business conferences and seminars too," says Guy Antognelli.