Visitor numbers to France slump

Photo: zoetnet
Photo: zoetnet

The number of foreign tourists visiting France has fallen by seven percent since the start of the year, and the French government is blaming factors other than terrorism.

Jean-Marc Ayrault, Foreign Minister, will be hosting a summit in September to address the issues, which include bad weather and strikes, he said.

In a report released Tuesday by the Regional Tourism Committee, the number of visitors to Paris “from other parts of France and foreign countries” in the first six months of the year fell by 1 million to 14.9 million compared with the same period last year.

The terror attacks, particularly the atrocity in Nice on July 14, had the most impact on wealthier tourists and visitors from Asia, the minister added. A sum of €1 million had already been allocated to promote tourism nationally after last year’s terror attacks in Paris, and now an additional €500,000 has been designated to the PACA region by the central government following the Bastille Day attack that caused the deaths of 85 people, including several tourists.