Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur has revealed that Nice Côte d’Azur Airport and Cannes Mandelieu Airport generated a combined €2.8bn (US$3.3bn) contribution to GDP and supported 40,800 jobs in 2024.
The figures come from an economic impact study commissioned by the airport operator and carried out by BDO. Compared with a previous study based on 2019 data, GDP impact had increased by 31% and the number of supported jobs by 8% on a like-for-like basis, while passenger traffic rose by 3% over the same period.
Within the South Provence-Alpes Côte d’Azur region, the airports contributed €2.2bn (US$3.3bn) to GDP and supported 30,750 full-time equivalent jobs, which represents around 1% of the region’s total wealth and nearly 2% of its jobs, according to the study.
The hotel sector accounted for the largest share of economic impact, contributing €610m (US$720m) in GDP and 12,300 jobs, followed by the leisure sector with €320m (US$377m) in GDP and 4,700 jobs, and airlines contributing €300m (US$353m) in GDP and 3,100 jobs.
The study estimates that commercial aviation visitors spend €3.3bn (US$3.9bn), with 77% of that expenditure benefiting the Alpes-Maritimes area and 29% spent in Nice. Average spending per commercial aviation passenger was estimated at €733 (US$863) per stay, with business aviation passengers estimated to contribute around 15 times more per visit.
Franck Goldnadel, chairman of the management board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, said, “The growth in employment and GDP contribution between 2019 and 2024, well above the increase in passenger traffic, reinforces the region’s strategy in favor of high-quality tourism.”
The the study estimated that Nice Côte d’Azur Airport alone generated 5,900 full-time equivalent jobs, with 74% of these being permanent positions and 47% held by women. The roles span 160 professions, with around two-thirds of positions provided by companies employing more than 100 staff.
BDO said the methodology follows Airport Council International standards and measures direct, indirect, induced and catalytic impacts, including spending by non-resident passengers in the wider regional economy.
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