The Olympics are coming: how to prepare your clients for Paris 2024
Tamara HinsonThe French capital will be more crowded than usual when the Games kick off on 26 July. Here’s the lowdown on how to navigate the City of Light this summer
According to the city’s tourist board, Paris Je t’aime, an estimated 15 million people will visit Paris for the Olympics (start date 26 July) and the Paralympics (start date 28 August). Thankfully, there’s still plenty of hotel accommodation. The tourist board estimates that occupancy rates for commercial accommodation will hover between 56 and 76 per cent.
Eurostar alone expects to carry one million passengers between London and Paris, and will be running an additional service on each Friday and Sunday to meet the high demand during the Games and summer holiday season.
Victoria Enoux, brand manager of Paris-based Orso Hotels, says bookings have been steady, rather than sudden. “We’ve noticed bookings picking up, albeit at a steady pace,” says Enoux. “While we’re not currently fully booked, we’re optimistic about reaching capacity.”
Freddie Marquis, director at The Luxury Travel Book, says it’s not just bookings which have increased. “Apartments which typically rent for €7,000 per week are charging €70,000 for an Olympics package.”
However, clients who book later stand to bag a bargain. “I doubt hotels will be fully booked unless they decrease prices,” says Solene Colas, a Paris-based tour guide and founder of ajourneyinparis.com. “I expect a decrease in prices into May and June.”
Oliver Bell, co-founder of Oliver’s Travels, agrees. “We still have availability in our Paris apartments. Owners expected a pre-Olympics surge which hasn’t materialised.”
CitizenM commercial director Bob Engeringh is optimistic, and expects full capacity for the Olympics. “We received our first group booking in 2020. All of our Paris locations are tracking towards high occupancy, and we expect this to increase in the lead-up – particularly with regards to city centre locations such as CitizenM Paris Opera."
Clients who fancy enjoying Paris’s legendary culinary delights shouldn’t panic, either. “We’ve not noticed any impact on bookings during the Olympics but we suspect it’s a bit early,” says Yann Brasseur, co-founder of Korus, a Michelin Guide-listed restaurant.
Agents should still urge clients to plan ahead, partly due to accessibility. “Several events will be held at iconic sites,” says Parisian Susan Taylor-Leduc, tour guide and founder of Picturesque Voyages. “For example, there will be archery at Les Invalides, skateboarding at the Place de la Concorde and volleyball at the Champs de Mars-Eiffel Tower.” There will also be 25 free-to-access fan zones.
The must-have item? A downloadable QR code. The Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories recently announced that these will be required by visitors attending the games – not just specific events, but areas around Olympic venues, which will include some hotel accommodation along the River Seine. Registration for those without Games tickets but needing to access cordoned off areas will be possible on a dedicated website launching on 10 May.
Agents with clients keen to escape the crowds during the Olympics should encourage them to explore lesser-known areas. “For some time out, consider Paris’s Latin Quarter and the Bastille area,” says Colas. “They’re quiet, interesting places far from the busier areas.”
The closure of certain metro stations until 21 September for security reasons (including Concorde and Tuileries from 17 June and Champs-Élysées-Clemenceau from 1 July) means clients should be prepared to do more walking. However, it will still be advisable to purchase a Navigo Easy Pass (parisjetaime.com), a reusable public transport pass, for the remainder of the network – the pass can be loaded with single-ride metro tickets, which are cheapest in multiples of 10. Visitors should also carry photocopies of passports as it’s likely they’ll need to show these at ticketed events.
Finally, agents should familiarise themselves with the tourist board’s website, which has advice on getting around Paris during the Olympics, and enjoying the Olympic buzz in the city without spending a fortune.
In summary? Paris will be a spectacular setting for an Olympics which won’t just transform the city this summer, but in the future. “Visitors will enjoy a renewed, greener city with improved infrastructures and better hospitality,” says Corinne Menegaux, director-general at Paris Je t’aime. “There will be new bike lanes, three new venues (The Athletes Village, the Adidas Arena La Chapelle and the Aquatic Centre), swimming in the Seine will be possible from 2025 and four new metro lines are coming between now and 2030.”
The best bit? Locals are equally excited. “I’m so excited about Paris 2024,” says Colas. “I’ve bought 29 tickets for myself and my family – there’s no way I’d miss this!”
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Tamara Hinson
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