Disaster for tourism as US visitors shun Paris

The Daily Telegraph ^ | 01/08/2003 | Henry Samuel

[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.

[Thunder 6]

steady. Try to imagine the smell of the Seine River on a hot August day...

any better?

regards,

[.cnI redruM]

At least the tacky tourists won't defile Le Champs Elysee. HEEHEE!!

[Stentor]

low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery

LOL. Gives new meaning to "asleep at the wheel".

[Angel]

"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."

Funny, the dollar is worth the same in all the other countries that use the Euro and I haven't heard that their tourism is down. How do they explain that?

[Stentor]

Try to imagine the smell of the Seine River on a hot August day...

In August there's nothing like that cementitious coating of sweat and chalk dust.

[RJayneJ]

As I read through the article, I was amazed that they don't have a clue as to who to blame for American's anger. For a movement like this that is totally voluntary and unorganized and not involving the government, it is quite an accomplishment to cut the tourism down by half. You're right, they don't have a clue. What we need is French speaking Americans writing letters to the editor to fill them in on why Americans are so angry.

[CFC__VRWC]

[cajungirl]

Well, that does help. And I do wonder if some of the fall off is not just plain old fear of flying what with warnings and such as well as the bad stock market, etc. I hope Bush just to needle them gives a new terrorism alert, like terrorists are going to attack americans in paris as well as american planes going to and from france, and gives this alert weekly till they come begging him not to. It would be wrong to do that, but rather enjoyable.

[CarmelValleyite]

Last Sunday's Los Angeles Times' Travel section had a huge article about the south of France, complete with color photos, etc. Ivana Trump was quoted as saying the wealthy from around the world are still coming to the Med. coast for their annual dose of sun, food, relaxation and seeing their friends.

Unfortunately for the French, MOST of their tourism income did not come from the wealthy minority who don't give a hoot what's happening in the world.

I'm heading for Hawaii soon, myself. Looking forward to pineapples and poi as substitutes for escargot.

[Pharmboy]

Remarkable: our early years were almost identical...except for the luge lessons. I studied synchronized swimming.

[chuknospam]

..."the strength of anti-French sentiment across the Atlantic had been underestimated."

I guess you can hear us now?!

[Jimmy Valentine]

"I'm raising my own Escargot!"

Proceeding at a snail's pace I suppose?

sorry

[Jimmy Valentine]

"The bateaux mouches navigating the putrid Seine are all but empty"

This is interersting to me. "Bateaux Mouches" translates as "Fly Boats". Pourqui? Is this Parisian slang, like calling meter maids "Aubergines" (eggplants)? Tourists as flies?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Regards,

[wtc911]

Exactly what we did....took France off the itinerary and replaced it with Spain.

[DeFault User]

Is this Parisian slang?

Far as I know they've always been called that. The Seine used to be an open sewer. Maybe that's why the "flies" are there, but I'm not certain. The boats that take tourists up and down the Thames in London are similar, fairly large sight-seeing platforms.

[sweetliberty]

""Thanks very much, Tony Blair and friends," said the bus conductor."

Let me see if I have this right...it is the fault of Blair and Bush that Americans aren't going to France??? Apparently they've never heard of consequences for their own actions.

[sweetliberty]

"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."

If that were true, they wouldn't be going to Britain, Italy and Spain now would they? Moron.

[sweetliberty]

"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."

In other words, everything but themselves.

[keats5]

We enjoyed the most wonderful vacation this year. We shunned the hassel of cross atlantic air travel, filled our Suburban with all our kids, and headed west. We camped in the Black Hills, saw a rodeo in Cody, checked out the Jackson Hole Lodge, and rafted down the beautiful Yellowstone. We camped in Theodore Rosevelt national park in Medora, N.D., where we enjoyed a cowboy fondue before watching the famous Medora musical. We ended the trip at the Chila Vista resort in the Wisconson Dells, far too tacky for the French, but the kids loved the water slides, and riding the Wisconson Ducks to see the Dells.

And everyone we met was remarkably friendy.

[biblewonk]

The more they say it hurts, the more it turns me on.