Posted on 11/07/2005 8:41:40 AM PST by ncountylee
PARIS, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Fear is growing among French restaurant owners and shopkeepers that violence in poor suburbs of Paris and major cities will damage France's image and keep foreigners away from the world's top travel destination.
The United States has warned citizens to avoid the rundown suburbs hit by unrest since Oct. 27. Calls for caution have also come from countries including Australia, Canada, Britain, Russia and the Netherlands.
"It's really worrying. The tourists will stay away," said John Diaz, polishing miniature models of the Eiffel Tower in his souvenir shop next to Notre Dame Cathedral.
"Lots of people have come in here and asked me whether it is safe to go to the Eiffel Tower. This is really hurting the city's image," said Diaz, who has run his shop for 14 years, but cannot remember such violent riots ever happening before.
The riots started when two teenagers were accidentally electrocuted while apparently fleeing police in a Paris suburb and has since spread to other French cities.
There has been little violence in Paris itself but more than 30 cars were torched in the capital at the weekend.
France's tourism minister said the riots could become a problem for France's reputation if they lasted.
"It is clear that if this movement -- which has already lasted 11 days -- continues, we will have to address concerns about our image," Tourism Minister Leon Bertrand told Reuters.
Tourism is a major employer in France, accounting for some 6.5 percent of French gross domestic product. Foreigners spent some 33 billion euros ($39 billion) in France last year, official data shows.
The industry was hit two years ago, when France's opposition to the U.S. war in Iraq, lingering effects of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and economic woes led to a dip
(Excerpt) Read more at alertnet.org ...
that is why people will go to Little Italy and Chinatown and not Harlem.........just the facts....
The tourists they need right now are NATO troops since they don't appear to have any sort of home grown military.
If I recall correctly the French were allowed to perform alternative public service in lieu of military service.
Don't worry. Problem solved. French press has just agreed to stop reporting the nightly tally of cars burned. I kid you not. Viola!
http://info.france2.fr/violences-banlieues/15475641-fr.php
The reason these riots are occurring is because France neglects its poor by not giving them universal health care, social services, mandated vacation time...ooops, socialist France has all that and the "poor" are still rioting.
Just goes to show you what nonsense the American liberal spew is about how a bigger welfare state, gun control, and non-"brutal" policing would create some sort of utopia in this country.
They should be a bit more worried about the future of the entire darn country...
Wake up, France!
They lost an entire generation of young men in WWI and never really recovered. WWII finished the job. The brave died - the cowardly's genes (and family values) got passed on.
Unbelievable.
There country is falling apart and they are worried about Tourism/
Shiny thing...
Shiny thing...
Islam, The Alleged Religion of Peace® ( TARP )? Click this picture:
No, I am not exaggerating. Click the pic, go to "last," and read backwards.
If you are not informed about this stuff, you will be made sick. If you are informed, you will be made mad, all over again.
Kindly note tagline...
It's not the deaths of the people that concern them, as their lack of concern during their vacations and the deaths from the heat, it's the MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.
bump... and a recommendation for late arrivers to check out POST 40...
GREAT cartoon!!!
Isn't there something about policians and umbrellas?
You don't have any image. You are sheep. Baaa. You are going to wait to see whether it continues? Why on earth wouldn't it? What consequence of any kind has their been, to anyone?
Here is what you do. One, shoot rioters on sight. Two, announce that all social aide is cancelled indefinitely, and will not resume until all property destroyed so far has been paid for, twice over, out of its funds. No payments until the riots cease. Three, explain that no one arrested in connection with these events will ever receive a single Euro from the French state, even after the riots cease.
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