According to an annual study published by kpmg tourism, hotel industry, and leisure, it is perfectly natural that the Spa is moving into other types of holiday accommodation, which helps to diversify, differentiate, and develop the product at the same time. Holiday residences, which represent 22% of the total permanent holiday accommodation stock available (not including camp sites, according to the latest official data from INSEE, DGCIS, and the Syndicat National des Residences de Tourisme), were among the first to include well-being activities in their offerings. Here is an overview of the situation...

THE HOLIDAY RESIDENCE SECTOR
According to the 6th July 2010 decree, “the holiday residence is a classified commercial accommodation establishment which is in business either all year round or in season….. Furnished accommodation is available to tourists who do not live there permanently, but are staying for a night, a week or a month. They have a minimum of facilities and services available to all residents...” Working on this assumption, the holiday residences have developed numerous activities in order to appeal to holidaymakers and keep them busy during long stays. Indeed, this latter type of holiday lasts 7 days on average, taking all nationalities together (from 5.1 days in towns to 7.9 days at the seaside according to SNRT). A large number of holiday residence operators have understood that the Spa addresses an important challenge both in terms of clients and potential investors.

In terms of clients, the Spa is part of a broadening of services available to clients interested in leisure activities. According to Mrs. Nathalie GUINOT, Communication Director at Lagrange, “the Spa, like in the hotel industry, is a reason for choosing a holiday residence, even if clients do not use it much in the end”. In terms of private and institutional investors, the Spa can influence the attractiveness of an investment. Not in the same way as location of course, but the Spa can serve as a guarantee of the accommodation’s future attractiveness, on a level with the quality of the infrastructure and apartments.
The new rankings, official since 1st July 2010, were long awaited by the industry as they modernise and supplement the existing texts that date back to 1986.

The holiday residence stock consists of 1,198 holiday residences with a total of 167,801 apartments as of 1st January 2012. There is an average of 84 apartments per holiday residence.

► To read the rest of this report, order now the SPECIAL HOTELIERS summer issue N°30, please click here
► Discover below, some pages of this magazine online: