#34 Monetary Value: the score that elected officials refuse to face (Chamonix: 38/100)

In the AMC (Association of Chamonix Touristique), Chamonix scores 82/100 for overall attractiveness. A top-tier score. But behind this flattering average lies a stinging dimension: the Monetary Value score is capped at 38 out of 100. "Magnificent but overpriced," sums up one Google review among hundreds. It's the figure no one wants to put on a brochure. Yet it's the one that determines whether a visitor returns or not.

What Monetary Value Really Measures

Monetary Value isn't the price. It's the ratio between what the visitor pays and what they expect to receive in return. A ski pass costing €60-75 per day, a hotel room between €180 and €350 per night, a "very expensive" restaurant: in Chamonix, these figures are real and documented. The problem isn't that they're high. It's that the perceived value doesn't always match the price. The scenery, rated 92/100, justifies a premium. Road congestion, rated 58/100, and the crowds on the slopes, much less so. Monetary Value is the point at which all other factors are weighed.

Why are elected officials turning a blind eye?

Because this score touches on a political taboo. Acknowledging a problem with perceived value means admitting either that supply is below price, or that the region is living off a system of rent-seeking that excludes some visitors and residents. In Chamonix, the median housing price of €8,420 per square meter and the fact that 76% of homes are second homes tell the same story: a region so successful that it becomes inaccessible. One elected official prefers to publicize the 5 million annual visitors rather than the fact that half of them leave feeling they overpaid. The first figure is flattering. The second compels action.

What a poor Money Value score indicates

A low score is an early warning sign, not a final verdict. It predicts a decline in visitor numbers before they actually drop, because price dissatisfaction spreads through reviews, influences recommendation engines, and fuels comparisons with competing destinations. A resort that ignores its monetary value ends up attracting only those who can pay without question, and loses everyone else. The good news: this aspect is actionable. Prices aren't necessarily lowered. The perceived value is increased by improving the welcome, the ease of access, the clarity of the offer, and the included services. Monetary value rises when visitors understand why they're paying, not when they pay less.

And now ?

Looking at your Monetary Value score squarely at it means refusing to hide behind an average. The Attractiveness Model Canvas precisely combines perceptions from Google reviews with objective data (INSEE, CEREMA, ARCEP) to show where price diverges from lived experience, dimension by dimension. This is what transforms a vague feeling into a precise area for action. If you want to know what your region is truly worth in the eyes of those who pay for it, our Express Attractiveness Analysis (€1290 excluding VAT) provides a clear diagnosis. Sometimes, the figure we dread most is the one that drives progress.