“Tourists deserted Paris” In recent weeks, and to the despair of hoteliers, a part of Parisians have also disappeared from the streets of the city on the eve of the start of the Olympic Games, either because they have gone on vacation or because they are working remotely.
This is the panorama described by Frank Delvau, president of the Union of Hospitality Trades and Industries (UMIH) in Paris, who considers the situation “catastrophic” In the call “Gray zone”around the River Seine, which has been cordoned off and fenced since the 17th in view of the opening ceremony of the Games to be held there on Friday.
“Restaurants are suffering all over Paris,” but in that “Gray zone” which can only be accessed by residents, people accredited for the Games or those with a specific authorization (such as those who have a reservation) the drop in activity is around 70%Delvau explains to EFE.
The occupancy rate of hotels there does not exceed 30-40% and although it is somewhat higher in the rest of the city, it is significantly lower than in other years at the same time.
No congresses or big events
The president of the hotel association attributes this to the fact that, in view of the games, which take place from 26 July to 11 August, no congresses or large-scale events have been organised in the city in recent weeks.
In addition, popular places such as Place de la Concorde and Place du Trocadero are blocked, as is the Esplanade des Invalides and much of the area around the Eiffel Tower.
The heavy deployment of police and military personnel, often armed with machine guns or assault rifles, also intimidates some.
The result is an unusual scenario in Paris, with the streets of the centre barely any traffic, apart from the increasingly present bicycles, and not many pedestrians.
Delvau rejects the idea that the rise in hotel prices has scared away tourists, arguing that in other cities hosting the Olympics, prices have tripled, whereas in Paris, he says, they have not even doubled.
Pierre Olivier, manager of a Certified chain café in the Passage des Panoramas, in a very touristy area between the Place de la Bourse and the Grands Boulevards, explains that last week they suffered a drop in income of 30% compared to the month of June, and that this week is “worse”, with a decrease of fifty%.
In that same area, Pierre, a waiter at the Club Cochon restaurant, points out that although they are not inside the “Gray zone”the restrictions that are there, right in the center, have repercussions everywhere.
“If the circle is cut in two, in the end everything is blocked,” Pierre points out graphically.
Romain, manager of the Cochon Club, confirms that “Activity has dropped significantly because of the Olympics, because of the blocked streets, because of the tourists who have not yet arrived and because of the Parisians, who have all left because of the Games.”
Parisians have also disappeared
About the latter, his theory is that “They have either taken refuge in their second homes or gone to the French Riviera or the Atlantic Coast to escape the effervescence that is supposed to be coming.”
The UMIH acknowledges that the Olympic Games are not entirely responsible for the poor season experienced by the hospitality sector, because this situation had already begun in May and June due to the very rainy weather at the end of spring.
He also believes that the political context caused by the European and legislative elections, which took place in June and early July in France, may have had a deterrent effect on some visitors.
Looking ahead to the next few weeks with the games underway, hotels in the city hope to increase their occupancy rate to 85-90%about a twenty% more than last year for the same dates.
The Paris Tourism Economic Observatory estimates that during the three weeks of the Olympic Games, a total of 1,000 tourists will arrive in the city. 10.2% more foreign visitors than last year, with a peak of entries this Thursday, when 29,000 passengers are expected at the airports.
The public body estimates that the average price per night in a hotel during the Games will be 258 euros, compared to 202 in July 2023 and 161 in August of the same year.
For the sector’s employers’ association, it will not be possible to recover the lost activity this summer, but they hope that the boost in visibility that the Games will give to the city will have effects in the medium and long term.
Source: Gestion
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