Figures, stats and analyses
Lyon is the second biggest tourist destination in France, with 6 million visitors per year (66% business and 34% leisure tourism).
Last updated date : 16/05/2024
Key figures for Greater Lyon
- 3rd metropolis in France
- 1.4 million inhabitants in the metropolis
- 58 towns
- €74.6 million GDP (Metropole in 2018)
The tourism industry in Lyon Metropole
Jobs
- 41,000 jobs in the tourism industry (2022)
Accommodation
- Offering: 272 accommodation providers (2023)
- 19,522 hotel rooms available (2023)
- Guest numbers: 9,4 millions overnights, including 5.4 millions hotel overnights (2023)
Customer breakdown
- Accommodation: 74% French customers and 26% foreign customers (2023)
Overseas visitors' Top 5 (accommodation)
1. United Kingdom
2. Switzerland
3. Germany
4. Belgium
5. Italy - ONLYLYON Tourist Office: 45.5% French customers and 54.5% foreign customers (2023)
Overseas visitors' Top 5
1. Spain (15 %)
2. United States (11%)
3. Germany (11%)
4. United Kingdom (9%)
5. Italy (8%)
Culture
Gastronomie
- 21 traditional restaurants with the quality label "Bouchons Lyonnais"
- 19 Michelin-starred restaurants
Museums
31 museums in the metropolitan area
1 850 564 admissions in 2023
Top 5 most visited museums:
- Musée des Confluences
- Musée des Beaux-Arts (Fine arts museum)
- Musée Cinéma & Miniature
- Lugdunum Musée & Théâtres romains
- Gadagne
Discovery and leisure activities
940,798 admissions in 2023
Top 5 most visited:
- Aquarium de Lyon
- Les Bateaux Lyonnais
- Mini World Lyon
- Guided tours by ONLYLYON Tourism
- Planetarium
Festivals
- Festival of Lights - 2 million visitors
- Dance Biennial – 215,465 festival-goers
- Nuits de Fourvière - 166,000 spectators
- Lumière Festival - 166,000 spectators
- Nuits Sonores – 102,000 festival-goers
- Lyon Street Food Festival – 45,000 festival-goers
Transport
- Rail: 55 million passengers in the 3 stations (2023)
- Air: 73% international traffic at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, with 10 million passengers (2023)
Vélo’v
- 10,15 million Vélo’v rentals
- 448 stations in 22 towns
Cycle-tourism
1175 km of cycle paths; 2 cycle routes – ViaRhôna and Voie Bleue.
Car and car-sharing
- 842 car-sharing vehicles available in the metropolitan area
- 5 labelled car-sharing services
- 200 Izivia Grand Lyon public charging stations
Business tourism (in 2023)
- 2nd city for events
- 210 events hosted (+4.48% vs previous year), including 36% association congresses, 33% trade shows and fairs, and 31% meetings and conventions.
- 39% association congresses in the sectors of healthcare, medicine and life sciences.
- 31% of meetings and conventions have a regional audience.
- 5 trade shows attracted more than 60% of visitors: SIRHA, Equita, Lyon Fair, Salon du 2 Roues (2 wheel trade fair) and Epoqu'Auto (vintage cars and cycles).
Sources: Database of MKG Hospitality - CCI Lyon
Lyon Airport / ONLYLYON Tourism and Conventions / SNCF
Data collected in 2023.
city-trends.fr/lyon
Lyon in the rankings
Lyon came among the top few in several international rankings:
- 2nd French city for congresses in the ICCA 2022 ranking
- 11th city in the World in the GDS-Index (Global Destinations Sustainability index)
- Lyon in the top of “The hottest foodie destinations in Europe right now”
See more rankings:
