The president of the Entreprises du Voyage (EDV), Valérie Boned, drew a tense picture of the French tourism sector at the joint convention of EDV Midwest and Southwest, held in Istanbul from 2 to 5 October 2026, with 104 participants including agencies, tour operators and partners. Despite signs of recovery, economic and geopolitical uncertainties persist and the fragility of some operators.
After a spring in which some tour operators recorded activity losses of up to 30%, following the conflict in Iraq and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the summer reduced the drop to around 5% compared to the previous year. In September, the value of sales and the average basket improved, despite a lower number of bookings. The price of kerosene, the purchasing power and the fragility of some airlines make forecasts difficult. Regarding Volotea, Valérie Boned reminded the agencies of their duty to advise.
The president of the EDV also criticized the 17% tax on the margin of professionals established by the Maldives, contested together with Seto, the tour operators' union. Newly elected to the Confederation of Tourism Actors (CAT), which brings together 22 professional unions, she is preparing a "great tourism oral" with the candidates for the presidential election and asks that the sector not be treated as a "fiscal reservoir". The EDV Digital and Innovation Commission also presented, on October 6, a six-page guide to help each company write its charter for the use of artificial intelligence, with human review of any generated content that affects people or contracts.
