"It seems that the worst is behind us," said Paul Roll, director general of the Office of Tourism and Congress of Paris. First city in the world in number of international arrivals, Paris has not been spared by the economic crisis. Even if the impact was less marked than in other cities, tourist numbers dropped by 4.2% in 2009.
But the trend has reversed in the first six months of 2010 to revive the pre-crisis levels. The number of overnight stays in hotels increased by 7.3% from a year earlier to return to 2007 levels. The revenue per available room, the main indicator of hoteliers, is also up 8%. The hotel occupancy rate of around 7.3%, is lowered into the red (about -1%) in the month of April due to the eruption of the volcano in Iceland.
For Paul Roll, "it is in a recovery phase but we do not yet know the speed of this recovery."The euro-dollar in favor of the Americans, the positive image of the French capital abroad and modernizing the Parisian hotels are among the reasons that the director of the Tourist Office in advance to explain this rebound.
France and the countries emerging as drivers of tourism in Paris
Where are these so tourists who come to deposit their luggage in Paris? In 2009, 45.3% were French, an ever-increasing share for fifteen years. And the trend continues this year: the first six months, the arrival of French tourists increased 12% to 3.7 million.
Behind them, the emerging countries pull themselves into second place. From China, Asia, South East, India, Russia, Brazil or the Middle East, these visitors accounted for 27% of tourists to Paris in 2009. Their arrivals were still up 11% over the first six months of 2010.A surprise this semester: The number of tourists increased by 29.8% African to reach an unprecedented level.
Another record, the business tourism peaked at more than 8 million hotel nights. "It's a real return of business travelers who greatly contributed to the increase in tourism this semester," says Thomas Deschamps, head of the statistical observation to the Paris Tourist Office.
The Americans returned?
First foreign market tourism in Paris, the U.S. would return. American tourists had indeed been the first to be less numerous in Paris, even before the outbreak of the subprime crisis in the summer of 2007. Since then, their presence has steadily declined. Despite a slight recovery in September 2009, the Americans remain in attendance decline between January and July 2010.
However, the tourist office suggests very good signs lately that show that Americans are more numerous in the second half. "The reason we lack," says Paul Roll, but it's very good news for the future. Americans have always had a very good picture of Paris, a city readily associated with love and culture. And want to show the Google advertising aired during the Super Bowl, the championship of American football that is the most watched sporting event in the United States.
Uncertainties in the second half
For the second half of the year, "the Paris are open," says Paul Roll. The Office of Tourism expects an overall increase in hotel stays 6%, "a very good performance" according to its director, but acknowledges that uncertainties remain.Thus, Muslim tourists will probably be less this year to present a question of timing, Ramadan taking place in August.
Especially, the economic recovery remains fragile. Coming from countries affected by the crisis, the British, the second most foreigners visiting Paris, and the Italians and the Dutch should be fewer in the second half.
Jean-Bernard Bros, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of tourism, an active policy of the city is necessary to preserve and enhance the attractiveness of Paris. Speaking as the "successful Paris Plage, an event which" gives the international image of a city that offers visitors, "Jean-Bernard Bros said that the city of Paris is planning to extend the waterfront development are on both sides of the Seine. "It is all up and it must ensure that it remains" says Paul Bros.