While France is hit by a fourth night of riots triggered by the death of a young motorist without a driving licence, shot dead by a policeman during a check, the tourism professionals already fear a summer season at half-mast.
Countries like Britain, Norway and Italy have warned their nationals about the riots in France. Without advising its citizens against traveling to France, London advises them to “avoid areas where riots are taking place” And “follow the recommendations of the authorities“. “Norwegian travelers are advised to take all necessary precautions, as well as stay away from large crowds and demonstrations“, writes the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an SMS sent to Norwegian travelers in France.
The main hotel and restaurant employers’ union, the UMIH, reported yesterday that French hoteliers “suffered a wave of cancellations of their reservationsin the areas affected by the riots, without however giving figures. The Groupement des hôtelleries et restaurations de France (GHR), bringing together the self-employed in the sector, deplored that “foreign TVs are starting to show images of Paris on fire and blood, which does not correspond to reality“. “Will the violence and riots continue and cause a real wave of cancellations? It’s the risk“, warns its general delegate Franck Trouet, quoted by theAFP. “Asian tourists, in particular, who are very security-conscious, might not hesitate to postpone or cancel their trip.“, he warns.
For Didier Arino, Managing Director of Protourisme, “tourists who know us well, like the Belgians or the British, who moreover have problems themselves in their suburbs, will be able to make sense of things“. But in the end, he says,it’s as if we were doing a negative communication campaign worth several tens of millions of euros, for the destination France“.
“If it continues like this, it could greatly complicate the organization of the Olympic Games, especially since a good part of the events will take place in Seine-Saint-Denis.“Said Jean-François Rial, President of the Paris Tourist Office. By the summer of 2024, he adds,we can hope that the delay will allow us to solve the problem“.
