Michel Bouquier, Director of Tourism announces the results for July and August are higher than estimated.

Summer 2010 has marked the return of tourists from Russia, America and the Persian Gulf. Figures appear to show a return to the record numbers of 2008 according to Bouquier. At the end of July indicators showed a 9.23% increase in overnight stays over the first 7 months of the year, 292,818 compared to 268,074 in 2009. Many clients have been booking at the last minute, business tourism up 28%, and there's a general increase in all nationalities apart from the British, whose numbers have decreased by 3%. By the end of 2010, total overnight stays are expected to reach 840,000, an increase of between 8 and 10% on last year.

Luxury remains a key attraction, including for cruise visitors, who have been known to spend up to 1000 euros a day according to Bouquier. High spending tourists are also key targets for the DTC, which recently put on entertainment in London for loyal British visitors, who spend more than 3000 euros per visit.

Once the season is over, Bouquier and his team will be studying detailed tourist statistics segmented by day visitors, hotel clients, and cruise passengers. A survey was undertaken during 2010 in partnership with the Riviera Comite Regional de Tourisme (CRT), interviewing 6000 participants to find out how much visitors spend and the proportion taken by restaurants, shops, museums and exhibitions.

There's no need to rely on survey results to know that Damien Hirst's Cornucopia exhibition at Monaco's Oceanographic Museum had already welcomed 200,000 visitors at the beginning of July. By 1st August, the counter had passed 300,000.

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