The images of France’s riots posted and broadcast around the world have cast a pall on the country’s important tourism sector, with many fearing worse consequences if violence returns.
“The surge of violence in the centres of Nice, Paris, Lyon — it’s catastrophic,” said Christelle Cassagne, head of the ADN Tourisme body covering the country’s tourism institutions.
“When you book a hotel for a week, it’s not so you stay stuck in the hotel,” she said.
The scenes of clashes with police, public buildings on fire, shops being looted and masked young men roaming the streets have, since last weekend, shocked and fascinated news audiences internationally.
The violence has usurped the usual curated footage of genteel cafes favoured by influencers, who have suddenly taken to asking “Is Paris safe?” — many using AI on thumbnails or even in their videos to boost click-through rates.
Even in Paris, some tourists who had front-row seats to the convulsion on the streets are looking for the exit. And others coming in were hesitant.
“Honestly, we were not certain that we’d keep our stay,” an Indian businessman in a pricey Paris hotel said, declining to give his name.
Already, hotel reservations are weakening in major cities such as Paris, Lyon and Marseille, according to Didier Arino, head of the consulting and research firm Protourisme.
For a country used to welcoming 100 million visitors a year — and the more than 70 billion euros ($80 billion) they spend — it’s a concern.
Arino and other observers questioned by AFP said the overall picture for France’s tourism industry would depend on whether new violence broke out in the coming weeks.
“The impact of a day of rioting and urban violence in the heart of Paris caused around a one-percent cancelation rate for the monthly count in the days following, and the same for the following weeks,” Arino said.
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