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Foreign tourist arrivals to France could fall 4-5 percent this
year following Islamic militant attacks and repeated robberies
against Asian tourists, warned Alliance 46.2, a group
representing firms that rely on foreign visitors.
Its members include department store chain Galeries Lafayette
and holiday group Club Med and AccorHotels <ACCP.PA>.
"The image of France has deeply deteriorated and it's likely
that 2017 will still feel the impact. The recovery may therefore
be long," it said.
An armed robbery against reality TV star Kim Kardashian on
Monday only exacerbates the situation.
The decline in visitor figures, if confirmed, would be the
steepest in 40 years and put up to 30,000 jobs at risk in the
struggling French tourism sector, the statement said.
Foreign tourists have avoided France since Islamic State gunmen
killed 130 people in an attack in Paris last November. In July,
a gunman drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day on
July 14 in the Riviera city of Nice, killing 86.
Repeated robberies against foreign tourists, notably Asian
tourists, have also added to safety worries, Alliance 46.2 said.
The tourism sector represents 7-8 percent of France's gross
domestic product and employs about 2 million people.
The French government last month pledged more aid to the sector,
bringing to 10 million euros its contribution to a campaign to
promote the country abroad.
France is the most-visited country in the world, with almost 85
million foreign tourists last year. France is still targeting
100 million foreign tourists by 2020.
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
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