French wine and spirits export volumes and values plunge

French wine and spirits exports have plunged to their lowest volume in at least 25 years, with demand damaged by trade tensions with both China and the US.

Sales were impacted by US tariffs and Chinese duties, with a strong Euro also making alcohol more expensive, industry body Federation des Exportateurs de Vins & Spiritueux (FEVS) said.

Total French wine and spirits exports dipped by 3% in volume in 2025 to 168 million cases, FEVS announced. Exports dipped by 8% in value to a five-year low of €14.3bn, with US and tariffs and Chinese duties hurting demand, trade publications drinks business reported. 

Traditionally, wine and spirits has been France’s second-largest export sector. It now trails behind aerospace and cosmetics.

FEVS chair Gabriel Picard said the sector would likely benefit from new EU trade agreements with India and the Mercosur bloc. But he warned the industry could continue to see difficulties in 2026 without improved market access.

In 2025, sales dropped almost a quarter (21%) to €3 billion, with volumes plummeting below 30 million cases. 

“There is a real decline in the United States and the volume correction may not have been sufficient, and perhaps we will see another volume correction in 2026,” Picard told Reuters news agency.

Cognac - France’s flagship spirit - saw sales dipping 15% in volume and 24% in value in 2025.

“Geopolitical tensions between France and China marked the end of cognac in China," Picard said. "Now stopping something doesn’t take long, but rebuilding takes a long time.” 

On the plus side, within Europe, wine and spirits exports held broadly stable at €4.1 billion, with resilience in markets such as the UK, where volumes rose 3% despite fiscal pressure, FEVS said.

The sales to South Africa also climbed 22% to €182 million, while Vietnam, the Philippines and Australia also showed strong momentum.

It's official: tourists are avoiding the US

It is official. Travellers are voting with their wallets and avoiding the US.

The World Travel & Tourism Council is forecasting a significant decline in tourism spending by international travellers to the US this year, media hub Travel Mole reports.

The WTTC predicts a drop of up to $US 12.5 billion in travel revenue in 2025.

That could potentially put nearly 100,000 tourism jobs at risk, it says .

The WTTC study, in conjunction with tourism data partner Oxford Economics, estimates that tourism receipts will fall below $169 billion by the end of 2025.

That marks a decline of about 7% with numbers down by 22% on 2019 levels.

The WTTC says it is the only nation out of 184 global economies analysed that is expecting a decline in tourism revenue this year.

“Other countries are really rolling out the welcome mat, and it feels like the US is putting up a ‘we are closed’ sign at their doorway,” says WTTC president and Chief Executive Officer Julia Simpson.

“The US travel and tourism sector is the biggest sector globally compared to any other country, worth almost $2.6 trillion.”

Taking into consideration direct and indirect spending it represents about 9% of the US economy and employs 20 million people.

The WTTC says traveller sentiment has shifted due to the political rhetoric of the Trump Administration and stories of travellers being held at immigration for sometimes spurious reasons.

“What we are seeing now is a sentiment shift that’s really very sad,” Simpson said.

“Legislators need not confuse the tourism sector with issues around illegal immigration. A sophisticated system can balance both without turning the country into an island that no one wants to visit.”

The latest tourism data for March 2025 shows a decline in arrivals for all of the US’s major source markets.

Germany arrivals are down 28% and the UK 15% year-over-year.

There are also significant declines from South Korea, Spain and Ireland.

The WTTC now thinks US tourism won’t fully recover to pre-pandemic levels until at least 2030, even with the America 250 celebrations next year, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics.

The British-based WTTC is a non-profit membership-based organisation