Inflation: holidaymakers forced to make concessions

According to INSEE, the rise in consumer prices reached 5.8% in one year in June. If this summer, a majority of French people still plan to go on vacation, many see their actions restricted by these increases.

“No vacation this year. Instead, I will spend my month of August working,” plague Antoine Michel, a 20-year-old student. Like him, there are a multitude of French people who do not prepare their suitcases for the summer period. According to a study by Ifop, just over one in five French people (21%) are certain to stay at home.

For Charlotte Lelandais, a medical student, starting on her own is not an option. With a steady gaze, the young woman believes she is suffering the consequences of these increases: “This year, the price of groceries for the whole family has doubled. We can no longer afford to go on vacation all four. My parents therefore leave at 2, without me and my brother. »

While the number of French tourists has increased in 2022 (55%, compared to 47% in 2020), many of them are forced to make compromises. The duration of the stay, the distance or the number of activities are shortened. “Since the start of the health crisis, prices have continued to rise. Before, we went on vacation every year for 3 weeks in a row. We had to reduce them to 14 days,” sighs Sylviane, married mother of two children.

While the prices of basic necessities have increased, those linked to the summer period have exploded. The cost of green watermelon, a very popular fruit on the beaches, has risen by 40% according to a comparison of Midi-libre. The price of ice cream has, for its part, increased by 5% in one year. In a firm tone, Sylviane explains the consequences for her and her family: “Obligatorily, we have to make concessions. You have to do fewer outings, shopping and restaurants if you want to stay in the nails. »

In addition to basic necessities, rental prices are also on the rise. Engineer, Olivier Ponsonnaille-Poyelle is the father of 3 children. Each year, he is responsible for organizing the trip for the whole family. Ironically, the husband points to the “exorbitant” increase in prices: “This year, I saw prices that I had never seen. For some houses, still affordable a few years ago, it has taken off. In my opinion, you would have to be mafia to be able to afford them today. »

Leaving, a priority above all

Despite the consequent inflation, there is no question of skipping the holidays. For a majority of French people, this short moment of breathing remains essential. « It’s the only time I can live a little in the year. It’s an invaluable pleasure, so if we have to put in more money to be able to take advantage of it, we’ll do it without any problem, « says Olivier, a smile on the corner of his lips.

Same story for Charlotte who, despite the constraints, finds alternatives to leave her home: « I’m going to spend several weeks with my grandparents. I really need to go away for at least a few days. Next year, I think I’m going to eat pasta all year round, so I can afford a trip,” she laughs. In general, these increases are an obstacle for holidaymakers, but are not a brake. If Antoine cannot afford a vacation, the young man does not blame the escalation of prices. Eyes glued to the ground, he admits to being the source of the problem: “Actually, I mismanaged my money. Even if the crisis is binding, it would not have prevented me from going away for a few days if I had been careful with my budget. »

Rather than making concessions, some find stratagems in order to save money when booking. According to the Ifop report, almost a quarter of French people look for their rental via travel agencies or on their websites. « It’s a straight-up scam. The additional fees that these sites take from you are monstrous. By researching a bit, you can find good places on your own without paying hundreds of euros more,” says Olivier, looking confident.

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Moncef ARBADJI

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