- Title: Paris region bounces back with best tourism performance since 2008
- Date: 22nd August 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 22, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EIFFEL TOWER SIGHTSEEING BOAT ON RIVER SEINE 'LOVERS PADLOCKS' ON PONT DES ARTS BRIDGE NEWS CONFERENCE HELD BY PARIS REGION TOURISM COMMITTEE TO ANNOUNCE SEMESTER RESULTS IN PROGRESS PRESIDENT OF PARIS REGION TOURISM COMMITTEE, FREDERIC VALLETOUX, SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS LISTENING AND TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (French) PRESIDENT OF PARIS REGION TOURISM COMMITTEE, FREDERIC VALLETOUX, SAYING: "We are not going to hide our pleasure, tourism is doing better, tourists are coming back, have found their way back to Paris and the region, and in unprecedented and historical proportions because it has been 10 years since we have known such a beautiful first semester, forecasting an exceptional 2017." VALLETOUX SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS LISTENING JOURNALIST GOING THROUGH DOCUMENT (SOUNDBITE) (French) PRESIDENT OF PARIS REGION TOURISM COMMITTEE, FREDERIC VALLETOUX, SAYING: "Because if the Chinese, if the Japanese, if so much of the international customer base veered away from our destination last year, it was because there was a high sensibility to the security questions and a worry. Is Paris still a safe city? After the attacks but also after the riots and rallies and violence which happened during the spring 2016. So we conducted this information drive." SIGHTSEEING BOAT ON RIVER SEINE PEOPLE WALKING ON PONT DES ARTS BRIDGE 'LOVERS PADLOCKS' ON PONT DES ARTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) PRESIDENT OF PARIS REGION TOURISM COMMITTEE, FREDERIC VALLETOUX, SAYING: "We want to reaffirm the fact that Paris and its region are still the first touristic destination in the world. And above all, we have in mind that Paris will have the Olympic Games in 2024, it is only a matter of days now, and this prospect will be a wonderful boost to improve the quality of the welcome but of the touristic offer, overall, of Paris and its region. So we want to reaffirm this place." NOTRE-DAME CATHEDRAL / SOLDIERS STANDING GUARD SOLDIER'S WEAPON VARIOUS OF TOURISTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) TOURIST FROM CENTER FRANCE, INES, SAYING: "Yes, I've seen a lot of tourists. Yes, it's true, I feel like Americans came back. Because I feel like there are a lot of Americans, South Americans, a lot of Spanish people and some Russians. But yes, I think tourism is strongly coming back in France." (SOUNDBITE) (French) AMERICAN TOURIST FROM INDIANA, ALAN, SAYING: "Yes, I think so, I think in a lot of places it seems like there's more terrorist attacks around the world, but I think that if you stop travelling just because of that, that's what they want, you know. And I think we don't want to live in fear, I think that we don't need to fear what happens to us. If we lived in fear then it just seems like that would stop us from living our lives fully. So I think you should keep travelling despite what terrorist attacks may be happening around the world." SOLDIERS PATROLLING
- Embargoed: 5th September 2017 12:15
- Keywords: tourism Paris security Paris 2024 olympics
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA0016V8O7K7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: France's Paris region saw a rise of 10 percent in visitor numbers on the first semester of 2017, the regional tourism committee announced on Tuesday (August 22).
The president of Paris' regional tourism committee, Frederic Valletoux, said the recent growth was largely boosted by international visitors, with a strong come-back from Japanese, Chinese and Americans tourists. Overall, international visitors figures grew by 14.5 percent compared to 2016.
Numbers show Paris is bouncing back from a 2016 saddled by insecurity and social tensions.
It is the best tourism performance for the region since 2008, Valletoux said.
Valletoux also hopes the 2024 Olympics - that Paris is expecting to win the bid for- will help the region improve the quality of its services and make it more competitive with other top tourism destinations.
In 2016, the most visited Parisian monument was Notre-Dame cathedral and in the first semester 2017, the LVMH Foundation experienced a rise of 174 percent in visitors numbers, the highest rise of attendance for Paris museums, thanks to the temporary exhibition of the Shchukin Collection. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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