Leading Brands in France's Travel & Tourism Sector: Q4 2024 Insights

In the competitive landscape of France's travel and tourism market, several brands have emerged as leaders by leveraging digital platforms to reach and engage a significant audience. This article delves into the performance of Google Maps, Waze, and the Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF), examining their web and app presence, user engagement, and advertising strategies during Q4 2024. Sensor Tower's comprehensive data provides a unique lens to understand these dynamics.

Google Maps

Google Maps, accessible via maps.google.com and the Google Maps app, continues to be a staple for navigation in France.

• Audience Trends: In Q4 2024, the monthly true audience for Google Maps remained stable, consistently above 49M. Notably, the app dominated with over 49M app-only visitors monthly, highlighting the mobile market's dominance.

• App Engagement: The app maintained a steady monthly active user base, with active users hovering around 49M, showing a slight decline from October to December.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Google Maps had minimal monthly ad spend in this category, with only a small expenditure in December, indicating a strategy focused on organic reach.

Waze

Waze, available at waze.com and the Waze Navigation & Live Traffic app, offers a community-driven approach to navigation.

• Audience Trends: The monthly true audience for Waze showed resilience, staying above 26M. The app-only visitors consistently surpassed 26M, underscoring the platform's strong mobile engagement.

• App Engagement: Monthly active users saw slight fluctuations, maintaining a solid base around 26M by December, reflecting stable engagement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Waze's advertising efforts were prominent in July, with a notable monthly spend of over $13K across multiple channels, including Facebook and YouTube, generating substantial impressions.

Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF)

SNCF, through its platforms ouigo.com, sncf-connect.com, sncf.com, and apps like SNCF Connect: Trains & routes and OUIGO: TGV & trains pas cher, plays a crucial role in French rail travel.

• Audience Trends: SNCF's platforms collectively attracted a monthly true audience exceeding 12M. The website visits varied across platforms, with sncf-connect.com maintaining monthly visits around 64M in December.

• App Engagement: The SNCF Connect app saw a robust monthly active user base, with active users peaking at over 12M in October, while OUIGO app engagement decreased towards the end of the year.

• Ad Spend & Channels: SNCF invested significantly in advertising, with December's monthly ad spend surpassing $2.2M, primarily on Facebook and Instagram, resulting in impressive reach and engagement.

Conclusion

The data from Q4 2024 reveals distinct strategies and user engagement patterns among France's leading travel and tourism brands. Google Maps and Waze continue to dominate mobile navigation, while SNCF leverages its extensive web and app platforms to maintain its position in rail travel. Sensor Tower's unparalleled data offerings, including Web Insights, Pathmatics, and App Performance Insights, provide critical insights into these cross-platform behaviors, essential for understanding the market's dynamics.

For decision-makers, the ability to access these insights offers a competitive edge, enabling strategic planning and informed decision-making. Sensor Tower remains committed to empowering businesses with the data needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.