Laurent Lhardit“The summer of 2024 marked an exceptional turning point for Marseille, which had the honor of hosting the Flame and the Olympic Games, events of global stature. Hundreds of athletes, thousands of visitors and billions of television viewers were able to discover our city and admire the Olympic Marina and the Velodrome Stadium, which provided a magnificent backdrop for the sailing events and several men’s and women’s soccer matches. This historic event gave Marseilles unprecedented international visibility, reinforcing our position as a sustainable and dynamic Mediterranean destination.
These two reports – one on summer tourism performance, the other on the impact of the Olympic Games – highlight Marseille’s ability to host large-scale events, whether in terms of facilities, infrastructure or logistics. They also underline our city’s appeal beyond the peak summer season, by including the promising results of June and September, months which, through the diversity of their visitors, demonstrate the vitality of leisure and business tourism in Marseille. Other events, such as the Marsatac festival, “L’Été marseillais” initiated by the city with its numerous free shows, or the Kouss-Kouss Festival, also punctuate the season and boost the sector, while highlighting the unique hospitality of our destination.
The analyses detailed in these reports reveal valuable trends in visitor behavior and expectations, particularly in terms of satisfaction, loyalty and spending. These indicators form an essential basis for sustainable tourism development, which must meet the expectations of a clientele increasingly seeking authenticity and responsibility.
Produced by the Observatoire de l’Office de Tourisme, des Loisirs et des Congrès de Marseille, these assessments are strategic tools that will guide our future actions. They enable us to fine-tune our initiatives to promote responsible management of the destination and to promote Marseille as a committed, innovative and sustainable city, for visitors and Marseillais alike.”
Laurent Lhardit
President, Office de Tourisme, des Loisirs et des Congrès de Marseille
