In 2023, travel is a stopover for well-being for the vast majority of French people. Since the global pandemic, mental health has become important for French people who increasingly want a change of scenery and discover new horizons. On the occasion of Wellness Day on June 12, Opodo, one of Europe’s leading online travel agencies, took an interest in “ Travel Therapy and how the French take care of their mental health while travelling, through a survey [1] bringing together more than 10,000 respondents, including 1,000 in France.
- 96% of French people say that travel is a source of well-being
- The main activities that promote good mental health in France are: resting and doing nothing (45%), sightseeing (41%), going on an adventure and playing sports (18%)
- The French are the 4e nationality to favor holidays to regenerate before the Swedes (95%) and the Germans (93%)
French savoir-vivre: when holidays rhyme with a change of scenery
With the increase in stress and anxiety linked to the health context, the French are aware of the importance of taking care of themselves on a daily basis and many have found a way to preserve it thanks to travel. This trend that promotes better living through escape is for the French, a break to take care of themselves away from everyday life, while discovering new places, living new experiences and meeting new people.
Activities vary according to age group: 63% of those aged 65 and over prefer to go sightseeing while 54% of those aged 35-44 prefer to rest ; 27% of 18-24 year olds prefer sports and 16% of 25-34 year olds prefer to party.
Depending on gender, the interests of the French can also differ: women favor relaxation (53%) while men favor sport (27%).
TOP 10 of the favorite well-being activities of French people on vacation:
- Rest and do nothing (45%)
- Sightseeing (41%)
- Go on an adventure (18%)
- Play sports (18%)
- Listen to music (15%)
- Meet new people (14%)
- Read (13%)
- Party (11%)
- Meditate (6%)
- Do artistic activities (4%)
France: 4e European nationality for whom travel contributes to good mental health
The Portuguese and the Italians arrive at the top of the podium of European nationalities to favor travel as a source of well-being (98%), followed closely by the Spaniards (97%). The French rank in 4e position (96%), ahead of the Swedes (95%) and the Germans (93%).
About Opodo
Opodo is one of Europe’s leading online travel agencies and provides its customers with tailor-made travel deals focusing on flight + hotel combinations. Customers benefit from simple and convenient booking processes, excellent value for money and an international list of partner airlines and hotels, car rental companies and access to innovative services such as than Opodo Prime, the first-ever travel subscription program. Opodo is part of the eDreams ODIGEO group, one of the largest online travel companies in the world, with 20 million customers.
eDreams ODIGEO is the world’s leading travel subscription platform and one of the largest e-commerce companies in Europe. Under its four main online travel agency brands – eDreams, GO Voyages, Opodo, Travellink, and the comparator Liligo – it serves more than 20 million customers a year in 44 markets. Listed on the Spanish stock exchange, eDreams ODIGEO works with nearly 700 airlines. The company conceptualized Prime, the first subscription product in the travel industry which has surpassed 4.6 million members since its launch in 2017. The brand offers the best products in scheduled flights, low cost airlines -cost, hotels, dynamic packages, cruises, car rentals and travel insurance to make travel easier, more accessible and more beneficial for consumers around the world.
