# Are Protests Ruining Travel Plans to France?



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*France Tourism Threatened *
By JENNY BARCHFIELD 
3 April 2006

PARIS (AP) - France's tourism minister said in an interview Monday that he is "crossing his fingers" that the crisis over a new jobs law will end soon to avoid damaging the country's position as one of the world's top tourist destinations. 

"If the crisis continues into high season, it is clear that would cause many problems for us," Leon Bertrand told The Associated Press. "We are crossing our fingers that this will end soon -- by the end of this week, at the latest." 

Already, Bertrand and tour operators say that violent protests against the law are scaring some foreign visitors away. The United States and Britain have advised their citizens to avoid areas where demonstrators gather. 

Whereas riots last fall were largely confined to the suburbs of French cities and towns, "this time things are even more sensitive ... this time, we are in the very heart of Paris, exactly where the sites frequented by tourists are," said Bertrand in the telephone interview. 

He said the renewed violence threatens to undermine a euro1 million (US$1.2 million) publicity campaign launched by his ministry after the riots to convince visitors that France remains safe. It targets visitors from the United States, Japan, China and Russia. 

"For the moment, there have not been any group cancellations, but we know that individuals have either canceled or postponed their trips. Mostly, these are individuals coming from faraway countries like Japan or China or Australia," said the minister. 

"In general, it's the countries that are farthest away, where the only images they have of France come through the TV screen," he added. "If things don't get better by the end of the week, we will be obliged to start a public relations campaign like the one we launched in the end of last year, after the riots, to correct the image of France." 

Tourism is a vital industry for France's sluggish economy, contributing nearly 7 percent of gross domestic product and sustaining, directly or indirectly, 2 million jobs, Bertrand said. 

About 75.3 million tourists passed through France in 2005, up 3.5 percent from the year before, the minister said. 

He stressed that no foreign tourists have been injured in the protests. But they have been inconvenienced. The Eiffel Tower was closed last Tuesday amid nationwide strikes that also caused widespread disruptions to train, plane and bus services. More strikes are planned Tuesday. 

Tour operator Irene Melki said her Paris-based company, French Adventures, has suffered "a real dip" in summer bookings. 

"Vacationers are heading to calmer countries," she said. "People are seeing the protests on TV, and they're very wary of getting caught up in that sort of chaos." 

Standing in line Monday at the Eiffel Tower, American tourist Pat Olle said she felt "very safe." 

"The government has everything under control," said the housewife from Wimberly, Texas. 

Mexican doctor Bernardo Hernandez said he tried to postpone his visit but went ahead because his airline tickets were nonrefundable. 

He said he and his family planned to "lay low" to avoid getting caught up in Tuesday's planned protests, but otherwise -- despite having seen "some pretty alarming stuff about France on TV" before he arrived -- his trip was "so far, so good."


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## Jonesy55 (Jul 30, 2004)

How ridiculous, France is safer than most places.


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

Lol, what will the government try to find next as an excuse to stop people from protesting?


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

If I had a family with small kids I might avoid Paris and places like Marseille this summer... but I wouldn't avoid France ( If I was planning on going there ofcause )

I was in France ( the Nice/Cannes area ) last fall and I felt perfectly safe, even in the middle of the night in the small streets with drugs dealers and *****'s contacting you..

It's been a while since I was in Paris, but I felt perfectly safe there too, even at night in the Montmatre area, yes people will contact you at times, and some etnic groups will look angry at you, but atleast people of my size and looks will be left alone - but not a place for kids atnight ofcase.

When it comes to some of the suburbs I have a feeling that some might be a bit more "dangerous" than the average EU etnic areas due to the high unemployment rate and lackof goverment control, but why would you go to an area like that on your holiday? That would be as stupid as walking into a demonstration's battle with the police...


If you keep to tourist related places and dayhours you will have no problems, just remember to rent a carinstead of bringing your own - you never know


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## Brice (Sep 11, 2002)

I saw few times violent protests in Paris with water canon, riot police... That was pretty funny to watch. As soon as you don't get involved this is not dangerous.


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## vishalt (Jan 27, 2006)

My family has our Europe trip planned out, we did consider not going to Paris because of this but then it can really happen in any country.. if there starts rioting we'll just stay in the hotel till its safe to come out again , and defintely won't go near ethnic areas.


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## grachtengordeldier (Mar 7, 2006)

I would never avoid France! Vive la France, malgré la politique maudite...


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## CrazyCanuck (Oct 9, 2004)

The protests make me want to visit more.


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

^^ haha nice one, I saw a few foreigners (not including journalists) at the protest during the afternoon!


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## Zaqattaq (Nov 17, 2004)

I'd like to go more


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## ReddAlert (Nov 4, 2004)

I dont want to go over. Those sons of bitches protesting will probally guillotine my ass for being an American.


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

Seriously, is it extreme arrogance, extreme ignorance or just you being an asshole to insult people you don't know shit about like that?


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## ReddAlert (Nov 4, 2004)

virtual said:


> Seriously, is it extreme arrogance, extreme ignorance or just you being an asshole to insult people you don't know shit about like that?


are you talking to me?


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## DonQui (Jan 10, 2005)

ReddAlert said:


> are you talking to me?


Virtual overall is a nice guy, but has the communist thing about him that simply just does not fit. :nono:


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## vishalt (Jan 27, 2006)

Australia has officially issued a travel warning for France.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/travel-warning-issued-for-france/2006/04/05/1143916572121.html












> The Government is warning Australian travellers to be cautious in France because of violent street protests in response to a new youth employment law.
> 
> In an updated travel alert, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advised travellers to be aware of their security.
> 
> ...


Well my family and relatives are still going!


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## Küsel (Sep 16, 2004)

Me personally it doesn't affect and most of the Swiss anyway not as far as I know. There are several reasons: after every football game we have the same scenes on the street and the "French" problem is not new. In most of the big cities you know you can't park a car in the street anyway with that it's being distroyed or robbed. Portest and strikes were always going on, since decades there are districts where not even the police enters anymore - totally lawless areas, worse in social structure and violence than most of the favelas in Brazil. The problem was only underestimated by media and politicians for a too long time. Since last year they are sensibelized and clear that the news now are pushing up - and the protesters as well because now they know they have the media behind them...


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

ReddAlert said:


> are you talking to me?



Yes I was talking to you, you just insulted me, and millions of other people of son of bitches 




DonQui said:


> Virtual overall is a nice guy, but has the communist thing about him that simply just does not fit. :nono:


I wonder what's communist in that....


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## DonQui (Jan 10, 2005)

virtual said:


> I wonder what's communist in that....


Protesting against the right of a company to fire you is commie.


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

:crazy:


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## ReddAlert (Nov 4, 2004)

virtual said:


> Yes I was talking to you, you just insulted me, and millions of other people of son of bitches
> 
> 
> 
> ...


chill out, I was just joking. Actually, I was refering to those goofy Muslim youths who were burning shit up for oh, weeks...not the recent protests. And 'sons of bitches' isnt really an insult. I can be, but how I was using it was like you hear people say, "John, your one crazy son-of-a-bitch, but I still love you in a heterosexual way."


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

Okay no problem, and by the way, concerning the burned cars, it was far from being only muslims doing it, and the one who is actually serving the biggest sentence (5 years I think) for this is a white french


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## ReddAlert (Nov 4, 2004)

virtual said:


> Okay no problem, and by the way, concerning the burned cars, it was far from being only muslims doing it, and the one who is actually serving the biggest sentence (5 years I think) for this is a white french


its all good... :cheers1: Seriously, I would like to go to France in a few years. Paris, Marsaille, and driving over that new skyscraper like bridge. These riots and stuff dont scare me at all.


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

Your welcome here then, and don't forget to visit the real france, not only the touristic places


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## Brice (Sep 11, 2002)

ReddAlert said:


> These riots and stuff dont scare me at all.


you are absolutely right. As I already told I soon as your are not involved it's even funny to assist to this kind of unrest.


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## ReddAlert (Nov 4, 2004)

virtual said:


> Your welcome here then, and don't forget to visit the real france, not only the touristic places


well a trip to France without visiting the Eiffel Tower would just be.....not a true trip to France.  

I would have to visit the tower, Arc, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Moulin Rouge and all that jazz. However, unlike most Americans--I would rather visit more of the "under the radar" kinds of stuff. I would not wait in the kinds of lines I hear that form outside the Louve, nor would I stand 2 hours to get to the top of the Empire State Building lol. I would probally check out some of the lesser known galleries, gallery districts with actual artisans, (the ones NOT packed with tourists) and the Musee' d' Orsay--which has a great location. I dont know about you, but Ive seen the Mona Lisa enough on t.v. (as well as where I used to work at--Mona Lisa Pizza--where there a million different pictures of it lol) where seeing it in real life wouldnt be as special. Other things in Paris I would like to see is that graveyard where Jim Morrison is buried,Cimetiere graveyard, Les Halles, and some of the older, lesser visited parts of the city. I also have this thing about turn of the century Paris as well as the creepy, haunted, and downright ghetto parts of the city. 

Other places in Frace I plan on visiting is Lyon, Cherbourg, Marsaille, Versailles, Millau Viaduct, the French countryside/gardens/castles, and various other small towns. I also as an American would have to visit the beaches of Normandy and memorials for those battles.


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## ReddAlert (Nov 4, 2004)

Brice said:


> you are absolutely right. As I already told I soon as your are not involved it's even funny to assist to this kind of unrest.


yeah man, I dont plan on getting involved in any of that stuff. I wouldnt even get involved in one of our riots or fights here (unless it was very justified). The idea of spending that kind of money, then getting hauled of to prison and kicked out of the country isnt that great of a prospect.


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## OtAkAw (Aug 5, 2004)

I'd like to go but I haven't got any dough!


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

ReddAlert said:


> yeah man, I dont plan on getting involved in any of that stuff. I wouldnt even get involved in one of our riots or fights here (unless it was very justified). The idea of spending that kind of money, then getting hauled of to prison and kicked out of the country isnt that great of a prospect.



You would have very very little chances about going to prison if you participated in the protests, most of the "fights" break out at the end of the protests, not during the demonstration itself, those who are "caught" are either the ones throwing things at the police or those with bad luck and who find themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time.

And if you're american (and white!), they won't do shit lol, so you can go and protest with us all you want


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

vishalt said:


> Australia has officially issued a travel warning for France.
> QUOTE]
> 
> How would Australia have felt if other countries had done that during the
> recent race riots?


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