Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
France losing foreign tourists
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
Yahoo! Search
Search:
Sign InNew User? Sign Up
News Home -
Help
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Asia Pacific
World
Search
Search:
France losing foreign tourists
AFP - Saturday, August 1
PARIS (AFP) - - Cash-strapped foreign tourists are snubbing France this summer, with hotel bookings dropping nearly 30 percent in June and July, Tourism Minister Herve Novelli said Friday.
ADVERTISEMENT
The economic crisis is prompting many travellers to stay at home, including the French themselves who are spending their euros on domestic vacations.
"The question is whether the fact that the French are staying in France will compensate for the net drop in foreign travellers," Novelli told AFP.
Tourism officials were bracing for a 20-percent drop in hotel bookings and Novelli acknowledged that "prospects were slightly worse", but he said he still held out hope of a boost from last-minute reservations.
Bookings from French travellers were down 7 percent in July but were expected to bounce back and register a four-percent increase in August from last year.
August is the peak month for vacationers in France and the nation's airports and train stations were already besieged with travellers on Friday at the beginning of the busiest travel weekend of the year.
About 1.5 million travellers were to board trains and some 900,000 people were headed for Paris' two main airports, rail and airport officials said.
Camp sites and other low-cost accommodation options are booming, leaving hotels scrambling to offer discount packages in a frantic bid to halt the drop in bookings.
In Paris alone, hotel bookings were down between 10 and 12 percent in July "which is far from being as good as last year," commented Bertrand Lecourt, from the Paris hotel owners' association.
The Eiffel Tower has reported a drop in British and Spanish visitors but ticket sales went up in July after more French families decided to enjoy the view from the top.
The French Riviera is losing its once-loyal Russian and British clientele but many domestic travellers have taken advantage of last-minute deals.
"It's really a surprise. Our hotels are 80 to 85-percent full," said Michael Tschann, head of the local hotel owners association.
"We still have vacancies in August but it is filling up," he said.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Sign in to recommend this article »
0 users recommend
Related Articles: Entertainment & Lifestyle
Australian film festival hit by Chinese boycott in Uighur rowAFP - Saturday, August 1
Cannes-honoured Philippine film gets censors' nodAFP - Saturday, August 1
Warrants for Jackson's doc call singer 'addict'AP - Friday, July 31
Jackson kids to live with grandma, visit motherAP - Friday, July 31
New Michael Moore film in Venice film fest line-upAFP - Friday, July 31
Enlarge Photo
Tourists protect themselves from the sun with umbrellas on July 16, 2009 at the Louvre in Paris. Cash-strapped foreign tourists are snubbing France this summer, with hotel bookings dropping nearly 30 percent in June and July, Tourism Minister Herve Novelli said Friday.
Most Popular – Entertainment
Viewed
Custody deal agreed for Jackson's children
Sunbeds elevated to top cancer risk level: WHO
Beer flows as Obama tries to cool down a hot furor
Comets probably won't cause the end of life as we know it: study
Organic food not healthier, says British study
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Community
- Intellectual Property Rights Policy
- Help
Other News on Saturday, 1 August 2009 29 killed in wave of bombings at Iraq mosques
Croatia, Slovenia optimistic of resolving border row
Washington Post stems tide of red ink
Space shuttle Endeavour lands safely after 16-day mission
Ten killed as Baghdad Shiite mosques bombed
Virtual education... for free
Ex-Soviet states seek to mend rifts in 'Russian NATO'
Recession end seen as US GDP drop narrows to 1.0 pct
Britain ends troop presence in Iraq after six years
Spain on high alert as ETA marks anniversary
Shuttle Endeavour lands safely after 16-day mission
Blast at French bell foundry leaves 46 injured
Madonna writes of her spiritual awakening
Over 1,000 Afghan civilians killed this year: UN
Apple fixes iPhone SMS vulnerability
| Technology
|
Global mobile market bottoms, grows anew: iSuppli
| Technology
|
Interim Honduran leader says President will not return to power
Feds seize heroin worth $17 million in California
Analysis: White House beers a way to change topic
Ala. ban of wine with nude label is marketing boon
House acts to improve absentee ballot tracking
Pakistan eyes $75 bln investment: minister
Loss-hit Air India to cancel six Boeing planes
China requests EU talks in fastener trade dispute
India property giant DLF post 79% fall in profit
Sri Lanka wants $500 mln to rebuild after war
Sexist bosses in Italy could face jail: report
Mixed fortunes for Japan's top banks
Film The Cove seeks to expose dolphin killings
| Entertainment
|
Kenya's Kalenjin tribe still on war footing
Warsaw's 1944 revolt is etched in veteran's memory
Peter Andre wins libel case over sex claims
| Entertainment
|
Gay pride march paints Stockholm rainbow-coloured
France losing foreign tourists
Australian film festival hit by Chinese boycott in Uighur row
Cannes-honoured Philippine film gets censors' nod
Quakers approve gay weddings in Britain
Organic food not healthier: study
Foreigners, possibly Americans, missing in Iraq
Spain condemns ETA, bomb victims mourned
Cory Aquino dies; Philippine people power heroine
| International
|
Apple releases software update for iPhone vulnerability
Saudi Arabia rejects U.S. pleas on Israel
US on track to pump $2 bln into cash-for-clunkers program
Bitter Turkey marks 50 years at Europe's door
Top senator in US health care debate announces cancer
Honduras leader firm against world pressure
| International
|
Clinton says no decision to ease Sudan sanctions
Firefox passes one billion downloads
Iran starts moderates' trial for post-vote unrest
| International
|
Amazon sued over deleted Orwell books
Afghan insurgent attacks leave 17 dead, many hurt
Bombs kill at least 28 near Baghdad mosques
| International
|
Space shuttle Endeavour lands safely after 16-day mission
Turkish navy commandos seize pirates off Somalia
N.Korea says South Korean boat seized for intrusion
| International
|
Bombs near Baghdad mosques kill 26
Iran's Ahmadinejad warns rivals their plans will fail
Saudi Arabia rejects U.S. pleas on Israel
| International
|
Clinton says no decision to ease Sudan sanctions
| International
|
Cory Aquino dies; Philippine people power heroine
Saudi rebuffs US appeals for israel peace gestures
Bitter-sweet Ponting proud to make Border crossing
Yahoo Labs chief sees real-time search opportunity
| Technology
|
Pakistan court overturns 2007 emergency rule
FCC seeks details on Google app rejection for iPhone
| Technology
|
Musharraf trampled constitution-Pakistan court
China says Xinjiang riot media openness a success
U.S. health reform gets House boost
India to assess climate gain and pump millions in forests
China-based cyber attack hits Australia film festival site
| Technology
|
U.S. House Democrats "pull together" on health bill
Unexploded ordnance a lethal problem in Vietnam
Recession end seen as US GDP drop narrows to 1.0 pct
Honda recalls 440,000 US vehicles
India's private airlines threaten stoppage on domestic routes
WTO takes up China-US dispute over poultry
Q&A: Juliette Lewis pushes to the limit with new band
| Entertainment
|
Billboard singles reviews: Brad Paisley, Jay-Z
| Entertainment
|
In Cuba, Del Toro wins award with Murray on hand
Escaped Magic ShowTiger Recaptured While Roaming Vegas Streets
Gwyneth Paltrow Feels "Pure" After Three Weeks Of Detoxing With Pumpkin Seeds, Coconut Water
Heidi Klum Suffering From Unusual Side Effects During Pregnancy
Saudi Bank Employees Get Flack For Dance Video
Top Iran reformer tells trial vote was 'clean'
Russia warns of force if more Georgia 'provocations'
FCC asks Apple, AT&T why Google Voice rejection
100 on trial after Iran post-election riots: report
Russia to station more troops in Kyrgyzstan: agreement
Pakistan arrests suspect in Marriott hotel bombing
| International
|
Iraqis fear al Qaeda violence after mosque bombs
| International
|
North Korea says South Korean boat seized for intrusion
| International
|
Residents venture out after Nigerian unrest
| International
|
French soldier killed in Afghanistan, two wounded
| International
|
Russia trumps U.S. with new Central Asia army base
| International
|
Russia's Putin inspects crystals in deepest lake
| International
|
Bush urges unified warning against North Korea
Sushi and fresh underpants await landed astronaut
Obama: stimulus helped 'put brakes' on recession
Fiji silent on Commonwealth ultimatum
Gay protests as Australia affirms gay marriage ban
New Zealanders opt to be knights and dames
Court Orders Boston University Graduate Student To Pay Nearly $700,000 For Illegal Music Downloads
S.Korea fishing boat 'illegally intruded': Pyongyang
Developing: LaGuardia Airport Locks Down Terminal, Detains Suspect In Security Scare
N.Korea says South Korean boat seized for intrusion
Defective Airbag Inflator Prompts Recall Of 440,000 Honda Cars
Bill Would Allow Stockholders To Vote On Pay Limits
Philippines in 10-day mourning for Aquino
Honda Recalls 440,000 More Cars For Defective Airbags
House Rushes To Save Clunkers Program From Early Demise
Pentagon Hacker's Mom Seeks Obama's Help In Blocking Autistic Son's Extradition, Trial In U.S.
Obama Meets Philippine Leader At White House
Obama See Positive Signs In Improved Economic Numbers
Gay Marriage Opponents In Maine Submit Petition Seeking November Referendum
SKorea posts sixth straight surplus
Taiwan, China oil firms to seek undersea reserves
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights