One year ago, the first direct flight to Shanghai took off from Marseille Provence Airport. Since then, this route has continued to embody our strategic ambition for sustainable connectivity, linking Provence to the world while generating significant economic and social benefits for the entire region. Here is an overview on the occasion of this first anniversary.

Since its launch, the route has found its audience and confirmed its purpose. Carrying more than 40,000 passengers with an average load factor of 80%, it has quickly established itself as a strategic link between Provence and China. This momentum has been driven largely by Chinese visitors, who account for half of all passengers and boost the local economy.

A popular destination, bucking the French trend
In 2024, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region saw a sharp increase in tourist numbers from China (+70%), in a broader context of a gradual recovery in Chinese tourism in France (1).

The opening of our direct route seems to have had a significant impact, with a remarkable 97% increase in hotel stays by Chinese tourists in the Bouches-du-Rhône region in the second half of the year, including a spectacular 202% increase in Marseille. Aix-en-Provence and Avignon are also among the five most visited destinations by Chinese tourists(2). As for cruise passengers, although it is difficult to attribute this solely to the Marseille-Shanghai route, the number of Chinese passengers departing from or arriving in Marseille is following an upward trend, with an increase of 18% over a rolling twelve-month period.

The route acts as a catalyst, amplifying the currents already at work between the two cities, which have been twinned since 1987. Trade with China is one of the most active areas of activity in the south of France. The opening of this route is fully in line with this trajectory: it simplifies exports and economic exchanges and attracts an international clientele with high purchasing power. It thus positions this air connectivity as a lever for regional competitiveness(3).

Empowering tourism in the region

Beyond the figures, behaviours are changing: longer stays, small groups, experiences rooted in the region. People no longer come just to photograph Provence, they come to experience it, taste it and feel it. Attracted by off-season travel, Chinese customers, who are keen on culture and gastronomy, are looking for authentic, high-quality experiences, in line with the common strategy of all stakeholders in the region.
The signs are therefore positive for this route, which must be constantly enriched and maintained in order to ensure that the positive economic and tourist repercussions continue. There is no shortage of promotional activities, both by the Regional Tourism Committee and the Tourist Office, to attract tourism professionals and bring more high-quality visitors to the region.

Operated with the latest generation of aircraft – quieter and less polluting – this route is also part of a broader ambition: that of sustainable air traffic, as described in our five-year strategic plan. Among the objectives it serves is that of expanding our long-haul network while maximising our positive impact. The ambition? To prove that an airport can grow consistently and develop without diluting its responsibility. Development planned with local stakeholders, in line with today's economic and climatic realities.

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(1) Source: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regional Tourism Committee
(2) Source: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regional Tourism Committee, based on the INSEE hotel occupancy survey
(3) Source: Marseille Tourist Office and Convention Bureau