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Tourism ugly from lack of Americans
Universal Press Syndicate
| 6-14-2003
| Tad Bartimus
Posted on 06/14/2003 9:59:39 AM PDT by lilylangtree
CANAL DU MIDI, France--It's high summer in France: bikinis blossom on the beach at St. Tropez and lovers stroll in lingering twilight beneath the Eiffel Tower.
The only things missing from these postcard-perfect scenes are Americans.
Still fuming over French President Jacques Chirac's active opposition to the war in Iraq, Americans are taking out their ire by staying home or vacationing elsewhere.
"I doubt I'll ever set foot in France again," a hawkish friend from Kansas e-mailed me.
Other friends who are veterans echoed the same sentiment.
"France?" You couldn't pay me to go there!" snorted one.
Well, somebody did pay me to go to France, and so here I am, conducting a writing workshop arranged by Americans, for Americans, on a canal barge owned by a woman raised in America. As we cruise between Bordeaux and Provence we practically have the canal to ourselves. Barge trip bookings are off as much as 70 percent and fancy restaurants catering to American tourists are empty. The question on every merchant's lips is no longer "Where are they?" but "Will they ever come back?"
At least one of them did, when the No. 1 Yak recently dropped in for a short visit. President George W. Bush was in Evian for the G-8 summit of industrialized nations, but he landed and slept over the border in Switzerland. His refusal to meet one-on-one with Chirac and their frosty photo op did nothing to diffuse Americans' anger at France for refusing to join U.S., British and other coalition forces in toppling Saddam Hussein.
The fallout from this diplomatic quarrel with our oldest ally is causing economic pain in the country now disdainfully dismissed as part of "Old Europe" by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Economic protest by their best-spending tourists is hurting the pocketbooks of bakers in Normandy, designers in Paris and three-star chefs in Provence.
"All our eggs are in the American basket and now Bush and Chirac have made an omelet out of them," said a French canal pilot.
While I sipped a smooth Bordeaux and ate aged camembert on a fresh baguette, a half-dozen crew members of various European nationalities lamented their lack of work.
"Our bookings are down 70 percent this season," said one barge owner, a British citizen. A marketing expert who works for a Burgundy vintner estimates her company's overseas sales are off by at least 15 percent, and will drop further "because people in America aren't buying French wine." Compounding their tourism woes is the fall of the dollar against the European Union currency.
However, there are bargains gallore in France as hoteliers and tour brokers try to salvage expenses.
Even the government--increasingly feeling the ire of its citizens for Chirac's arrogance and insults toward the Bush administration--is officially encouraging the unthinkable toward visitors. It's urging the French to say "BONJOUR!" with a smile.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: bulge; champagne; chartres; eifeltower; france; french; frenchboycott; frogs; idiots; louve; normandy; notredame; tourism; travel; worldwarii; wwii
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We have traitors in our midst. Wonder if Chirac is still popular with the people? Last I read his popularity with the French people was at a good 58%. Also, I wonder how old Tad would feel if the French people went on strike everyone and she and other Americans got stuck in France. And Old Tad and others were forced to fend for themselves considering that nothing was moving in the country. Wonder how pleased she would be with herself then?
To: lilylangtree
Live it up, French scumdogs.
To: lilylangtree
It's urging the French to say "BONJOUR!" with a smile. whilst muttering va t'en under their breath.
ah, c'est dommage... whirlwind reepage.
eat cheese and die.
3
posted on
06/14/2003 10:06:52 AM PDT
by
glock rocks
(remember -- only you can prevent fundraisers. become a monthly donor.)
To: lilylangtree
"All our eggs are in the American basket and now Bush and Chirac have made an omelet out of them," said a French canal pilot. No, Chirac made that omelet all by himself.
To: lilylangtree
To: lilylangtree
"While I sipped a smooth Bordeaux and ate aged camembert on a fresh baguette, a half-dozen crew members of various European nationalities lamented their lack of work..."
While I sip a wonderful Aussie Merlot and eat an English Stilton (no bread ~ Atkins) and chuckle while I watch all the tourists flock here to visit our very historic and pretty laid back area. Besides, we have restaurants galore in every nationality if you miss French cuisine.
6
posted on
06/14/2003 10:07:22 AM PDT
by
OpusatFR
(Using pretentious arcane words to buttress your argument means you don't have one)
To: lilylangtree
The French canal pilot is said to blame Bush and Chirac. No doubt the first reaction of most Frenchmen will be to blame us. How long will it take for the true state of affairs to set in? Some time longer, I imagine.
It's only human to blame the other guy first. But if bad times persist, then it's time to re-evaluate. I don't expect the boycott of France to end anytime soon. Personally, I think only the shedding of French blood alongside ours on the battlefield can undo the damage Chirac has caused. Words will mean nothing.
7
posted on
06/14/2003 10:07:45 AM PDT
by
Cicero
(Marcus Tullius)
To: lilylangtree
"All our eggs are in the American basket and now Bush and Chirac have made an omelet out of them," said a French canal pilot. No, CHIRAC ALONE made the omelet. I'm all for admitting our mistakes, but in this case, Chirac deserves all the blame. Had he quietly disagreed and abstained, France's American tourism would be fine. But he can't set himself up as an overt enemy and then expect that not to poison relations overall. You wanna be an enemy (or in his euphamism, "opposing pole")? Voila! France is an enemy! /rant
8
posted on
06/14/2003 10:08:26 AM PDT
by
ellery
To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity
Bookmark.
9
posted on
06/14/2003 10:09:56 AM PDT
by
FreedomCalls
(It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
To: lilylangtree
The new Iraqi Scud missile:
To: lilylangtree
My husbands pretentious democratic aunt and her family adore France, and I get nauseated at their Christmas letters and photos. So, for me, I am extremely pleased that France is no longer popular.
To: lilylangtree
Screw the French.
12
posted on
06/14/2003 10:13:46 AM PDT
by
blam
To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity
You say, 'Bonjour'.
We say, 'Au revoir'.
To: lilylangtree
It's wrong to be French.
14
posted on
06/14/2003 10:15:23 AM PDT
by
Drango
(A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
To: lilylangtree
I will travel to Spain sometime soon; go to the Spanish/French border, and pee on the otherside. Then maybe, I will go to Nice so I can look at nude sunbathers again.
15
posted on
06/14/2003 10:15:24 AM PDT
by
Porterville
(Screw the grammar, full posting ahead.)
To: OpusatFR
While I sip a wonderful Aussie Merlot and eat an English Stilton (no bread ~ Atkins) and chuckle while I watch all the tourists flock here to visit our very historic and pretty laid back area. Where might this paradise be?
To: lilylangtree
I would like to see another turn of the screw on France in the form of official U.S. policy on trade. Let them substitute champagne for Iraqui oil as fuel.
To: lilylangtree
The fallout from this diplomatic quarrel with our oldest ally is causing economic pain And our oldest enemy, since our first armed conflict after gaining independence was the Quasi War with France.
18
posted on
06/14/2003 10:18:24 AM PDT
by
aomagrat
(IYAOYAS)
To: Cicero
*I think only the shedding of French blood alongside ours on the battlefield can undo the damage Chirac has caused. Words will mean nothing.*
You are right. WE pulled their a$$es out of the fire in 2 WW's and then get the kind of treatment they give us? I hope the boycott stays in until the average frenchie starts to rethink their whole attitude towards us.
Let them live off the tourist money from moslems... opps, there isn't any.
19
posted on
06/14/2003 10:20:48 AM PDT
by
JSteff
To: lilylangtree
http://www.francetourism.com/FGTOmessage.asp
Frog propaganda
|
Dear Friends,
I would like to address the concerns certain Americans may have about travel abroad and to France in particular.
I would first like to emphasize that Americans have always been and will always be welcome in France. The relationship between Americans and the French, France and the United States is one of longstanding friendship and mutual appreciation that dates back to La Fayettes key role in the American Revolutionary war. The Statue of Liberty, offered by France to the United States in 1886, is a symbol of friendship that represents shared values and ideals. It is a tribute to the United Statesa beacon of liberty and hope. We will never forget the United States' instrumental role in WWI and WWII and will always honor the American soldiers who fought and died to restore our liberty.
Because of the recent disagreements between the American and French governments and the heated press coverage of events, we are aware that some Americans worry that they might be unwelcome in France.
Since mid-March, articles in major publications (The New York Times, Dallas Morning News and Chicago Tribune, to name a few) have reported that returning American visitors experienced no hostility. To the contrary, the French have gone out of their way to make Americans feel especially welcome. I invite you to consult our testimonial page and visit Rick Steves travel website for additional reports from returning Americans.
We are also very aware that you may be concerned about safety away from home. As in the U.S., the French Government has a highly sophisticated domestic anti-terror program known as Vigipirate (French Language only) and has taken extra measures in cooperation with the U.S. government to protect travelers and foreign guests.
In addition, since the rash of anti-Semitic incidents in France in April of last year, France has implemented a very successful zero tolerance policy towards these kinds of shameful attacks. Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy, the French Minister of the Interior has recently been awarded the Simon Wiesenthal Center 2003 Tolerance Prize for his work in combating anti-Semitism in France. For more information on recent and past measures taken by French authorities, click here.
In conclusion, we firmly believe that travel is about meeting people, talking with people and learning about people. We also believe that in light of our common history, there is much more that brings us together than divides us.
We sincerely look forward to demonstrating to you our true hospitality. In that spirit, we invite you to take advantage of the special deals offered to Americans in our "Let's fall in love again" campaign.
Sincerely,
Patrick Goyet Director USA French Government Tourist Office Wednesday, May 21, 2003
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20
posted on
06/14/2003 10:21:31 AM PDT
by
Drango
(A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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