Posted on 07/31/2003 6:26:09 PM PDT by ijcr
Millions of foreign tourists are shunning France this summer, costing the country billions of pounds and threatening its position as the world's favourite destination.
Travel agents say there is widespread evidence that the tourist industry is suffering as a result of President Jacques Chirac's vehement stand against the war in Iraq. The strong euro has added to the crisis.
According to the president of France's travel agents' union, Cesar Balderacchi, bookings from the United States in the past six months were 50 per cent down on last year, with no sign of improvement as the tourist season reaches its peak. British visitor numbers have fallen by around 10 per cent.
Tourism is of enormous importance to France. Last year, 77 million visitors arrived, lured by France's gastronomy, wealth of history and topographical variety, bringing in £24 billion. American tourists alone accounted for £4.2 billion.
"After the Iraq crisis, many American tour operators just airbrushed France out of their brochures. Instead of offering a tour including Britain, France and Italy, say, we are now replaced by Spain," said M Balderacchi.
A brief tour of the centre of Paris yesterday confirmed his fears, with not a busload of camera-wielding Americans or Japanese to be seen.
On a clear, sunny day, the bateaux mouches that ply the Seine were all but empty. Three or four heads stared balefully from an red open-top sightseeing bus.
"Thanks very much, Tony Blair and friends," said the bus conductor.
"Where have all the Americans gone?" asked a gloomy waiter in a cafe next to Notre Dame. "Usually two waiters are hard pushed to cope during the summer months, but this year it's just me - not enough custom."
Iraq is one factor. But Serge Thellier, who has had a souvenir stand on the Ile de la Cite for 43 years, blamed the dollar. "The Americans were like flies round honey in the 1980s when there were 10 francs to the dollar," he said. "Give me two euros to the dollar and they'll be back, bin Laden or no bin Laden."
According to figures published yesterday by the hotel industry association, hotel bookings were down by a quarter throughout France for July, with the luxury sector the worst hit.
Its president, Andre Daguin blamed Iraq, Sars, oil-sullied beaches from the tanker Prestige, strikes which led to the cancellation of many summer festivals and the recent forest fires. "We have been spared nothing," he said.
Not only Paris is suffering. Tourist visits are down by a third on the coast in Aquitaine and inland in the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne.
The French Riviera has not been spared either. Rentals of luxury yachts along the coast are down by half. Not a single boat has been hired by an American in Cannes or Monaco, according to one yacht company. "We can expect a lot of firms to go under," said one owner.
In an editorial this week the newspaper Libération said the strength of anti-French sentiment across the Atlantic had been underestimated. "Convinced that the peace of the brave begins at the table, the French never really believed the Americans would fall out of love with them," it said.
To add to the tourist trade's woes, even the French are staying at home. According to a report published yesterday by the national tourist board, only half are taking breaks this summer and for shorter periods. Until recently, virtually the whole of France was on holiday in August.
Why should we travel across the atlantic to visit a country that insults us at every opportunity? We can get the same in Canada, and it's right next door!
(Just kidding, Canadian FReepers, I know you aren't all Chretiens.)
Reminds me of the typical liberal way of thinking: It's always someone else's fault. But then, isn't France pretty much a socialist country? Socialist, liberal - birds of a feather. ;->
Instead of France, I recommend visiting Spain, Italy, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania . . . If you really must visit a dirty place with rude people, I understand there are parts of New York City or LA that would fit the bill. I love Germany, but am still upset at their opposition, so I think the other, more supportive countries are better choices!
When posting slows down like that, I highlight/copy text in preview window, return to article page, refresh. If the post doesn't show (which is rare), I just paste my copied response in the preview window again.
Oh, life is beautiful. The sun is shining. The bateaux mouches navigating the putrid Seine are all but empty. Lines at the Louvre are short and smoke pours from the Eiffel Tower. Few tour buses head to Versailles. Hell, it's enough to inspire Rimbaud to rewrite his poem. How about "Les bateaux vides"?
He also said:
The details of my life are quite inconsequential.... very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it.The man's a genius...an evil genius to be sure...but a genius nonetheless.
I once hoped to visit France some day. I studied the language and culture for a few years because of the ties to my heritage between the Gauls and Kelts. I will no longer purchase any French made product that I am aware of nor will me or mine ever visit. To the French people: keep your secular government and deal with the conflict that will breed with Islam by yourself. Give Saddam asylum he has experience running countries such as yours is about to become.
You know, now that you mention it, every American of Polish descent that I have ever met, (and in my neck of the woods there is alot), was of the happiest go lucky spirits I fondly recall. I honestly can't think of one I disliked. Thank you for the recollections.
I thought the French wanted this also, I guess that they should be careful of what they wish.
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