France 2016 tourism figures higher than anticipated after Islamist attacks – Ayrault

Record ID: 78475

  • Title: France 2016 tourism figures higher than anticipated after Islamist attacks – Ayrault
  • Date: 17th November 2016
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 17, 2016) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF EIFFEL TOWER SIGN FOR EIFFEL TOWER PEOPLE WALKING, TOURIST BUS DRIVING PAST FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER, JEAN-MARC AYRAULT, ARRIVING FOR NEWS BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER, JEAN-MARC AYRAULT, SAYING: "We had to face in 2013 (sic. 2016) after an exceptional year in 2015, difficulties that we cannot overlook - linked to the security situation, and in particular the attacks, the bad weather, social actions - a range of factors which meant 2016, even if we must consider it carefully, calls for us to give an even stronger response to the expectations of those who want to visit our country, or who visit our country." CEILING IN FRENCH FOREIGN OFFICE / AYRAULT ADDRESSING MEDIA PEOPLE NEAR EIFFEL TOWER MAN SELLING EIFFEL TOWER SOUVENIRS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (French) BELGIAN TOURISTS IN PARIS, JANINE AND ALAIN, SAYING: JANINE: "It's the same where we are from." ALAIN: "It's the same where we are from, so we feel safe, there's really no problem for us. Personally, no." JANINE: "No worries, we are encouraging everyone to come." WOMAN LAUGHING AND EMBRACING ANOTHER WOMAN IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN TOURIST WHO LIVES IN DUBAI, SHALIM REHMAN, SAYING: "In some areas, yes, we feel very safe. In some areas, it's not that safe. Because you know some... it's a tourist… Paris is a very large city and there are a lot of tourists here, so wherever you go in the world you'll see these kind of small issues there. So overall, yes, we feel very safe here. We didn't feel anything wrong here." PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (English) MALAYSIAN TOURIST, ANDREW NICHOLAS, SAYING: "It's a dream to be here actually, so there's nothing concerned about what's happened recently. We know about it because the news is all over the world. Know about it, but we have to be strong anyway and forget about what is happening." BOAT ON RIVER SEINE PEOPLE EATING ON BOAT ON RIVER SEINE EIFFEL TOWER PEOPLE ON BRIDGE BOATS ON RIVER SEINE
  • Embargoed: 2nd December 2016 16:28
  • Keywords: Ayrault France tourism Paris tourists 2016 attacks
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA00158U3EX3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:The decline in the numbers of foreign visitors to France in 2016 after last year's attacks could be less severe than previously thought, the country's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Thursday (November 17).
    Plagued by a string of Islamist attacks, flooding across the country and widespread protests over social reform, the numbers of foreign visitors to France in 2016 had dropped by 8% at the end of October, with more than 80 million tourists expected this year, following 85 million who travelled to the country in 2015.
    "We had to face in 2013 (sic. 2016) after an exceptional year in 2015, difficulties that we cannot overlook - linked to the security situation, and in particular the attacks, the bad weather, social actions - a range of factors which meant 2016, even if we must consider it carefully, calls for us to give an even stronger response to the expectations of those who want to visit our country, or who visit our country," Ayrault told a news conference in Paris, adding that the objective launched by his predecessor Laurent Fabius of 100 million foreign tourists in 2020 was still achievable.
    In the third quarter of 2016 alone, tourist numbers fell by 10.6%, with a drop of 18% in Paris which has seen fewer Asian visitors who are concerned over security, according to the INSEE statistics agency.
    Visitors to Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower on Thursday told Reuters that the attacks did not deter them from travelling to the French capital.
    "In some areas, yes, we feel very safe. In some areas, it's not that safe. Because you know some... it's a tourist… Paris is a very large city and there are a lot of tourists here, so wherever you go in the world you'll see these kind of small issues there. So overall, yes, we feel very safe here. We didn't feel anything wrong here," said Indian tourist Shalim Rehman, who had travelled to Paris with his partner and three-year-old son.
    "It's a dream to be here actually, so there's nothing concerned about what's happened recently. We know about it because the news is all over the world. Know about it, but we have to be strong anyway and forget about what is happening," said Malaysian tourist, Andrew Nicholas.
    France's decline in tourists was more limited on the French coast - which saw a drop of 7% in spite of the July 14 Nice attacks which left 86 people dead. The foreign ministry said those working in hospitality in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region had attracted tourists by cutting prices.
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