Corsica’s Bold Move: Subsidizing 250,000 Tourist Seats to Combat Overtourism

It’s not every day that a destination pays to bring in more tourists—especially when fighting overtourism. Yet that’s exactly what Corsica is doing. The Corsican authorities have announced plans to subsidize 250,000 airline seats annually to the Mediterranean island, but there’s a catch: they’re only doing it during the off-season.

The goal? Spread visitor numbers throughout the year rather than cramming everyone into the peak summer months, while filling the genuinely quiet periods when hotels and restaurants struggle.

12 Flight Routes Targeted

This innovative scheme, which could set a precedent across Europe, will launch in the coming months. Corsican authorities are purchasing 250,000 passenger seats annually for the next four years. Airlines (ferries aren’t included) must then commit to operating these flights and filling them with travelers.

This doesn’t mean free tickets for passengers, but the fares should be competitive since each seat will already be partially subsidized by the Corsican government.

The operation is expected to cost around €2.5 million ($2.7 million) per year. However, it could generate €100 million ($108 million) over the same period from what these new visitors spend across the island’s two departments. Not a bad return on investment.

Naturally, this initiative targets the low season across 12 routes—9 French and 3 international—primarily from Bordeaux, Nantes, Strasbourg, and Charleroi. Flights will be operated by Air Corsica and Volotea, the two airlines selected for the program.

So far, the concept appears to be winning over both the public and Corsican tourism professionals, though some legal questions about the operation’s legitimacy remain, and not all details have been finalized. Worth keeping an eye on, though…