Tourism in France
Tourism is one of the most critical sectors in France. Tourism directly contributes over 79.8 billion euros to the country’s GDP. 70% of the revenue gained from tourism comes from local tourism spending, while 30% comes from international visitors. The total contribution of tourism to the country represents 9.7% of the GDP. Also, tourism has created over 3 million jobs, representing 10.9% of the country’s workforce. The sector is very paramount in the balance of payments in France. In 2017, France was listed as the most popular tourist destination in the world after 89 million foreign tourists visited it. The country has 37 tourist sites inscribed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The list features high cultural interests such as Paris and Lyon, among others. It also has excellent beaches, ski resorts, seaside resorts, and rural regions that have beautiful scenes and tranquility. Local associations establish in the country promote most of the small and picturesque French villages of quality heritage. The French ministry of culture has listed the famous Remarkable Gardens that consists of over two hundred gardens used for tourism purposes.
However, Paris makes the leading tourist attraction site in the country. Paris, the capital city of France, remains the third most visited place in the world. The city has renowned museums such as Louvre, which is the number one visited museum globally. Paris also has the most recognizable landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower. This tower is the most-visited paid monument globally. It also houses the biggest science museum in Europe among other famous museums. France has many notable places and cities of cultural interest. All of the country’s significant towns attract tourists because each city has some cultural and historical attributes. The country has the most beautiful villages other specific attractions include the religious pilgrimage and theme parks.
Benefits of Tourism in France
Traveling is not only good for travelers, but also to the economy of the tourist country. Tourism is a fantastic source of income since it brings money home that would otherwise not be realized if there was no tourism. Wealth has enabled wealth to be injected into France in several ways. Luckily, the tourism industry is labor-intensive. The sector is interconnected with other critical industries intensive such as transport, hotels, and accommodation, among others. Many businesses that operate within tourism are micro operators and small businesses. It, therefore, means that small business owners and employees quickly felt every coin brought into the industry. For this reason, tourism is closely related to boosting local spending in France. For a big tourist attraction nation like France, tourism has a wide range of benefits. The travelers also enjoy tourism in such countries because, with such a booming industry, there is plenty of places to visit hence attracting more and more tourists. Tourism has had enormous trickling effects on the country’s economy.
- a) Employment
Employment is one of the most straightforward benefits that can be identified in any country’s tourism sector. As discussed in the sections above, tourism has created millions of jobs in France both directly and indirectly. Some directly influenced positions include tour guides, transport services, hotel staff, restaurants, and coach services. These businesses source their goods or supplies locally. Also, they pay wages to their staff, therefore, giving theme means of livelihoods. Tourism also greatly benefits industries like retail and food production. These are some of the sectors that benefit indirectly, and most people may not notice. Tourism impacts most of the macroeconomic indicators that must be seen in a healthy economy.
Increased spending in the local community
France enjoys this benefit in two ways. First, there is money directly spent by tourists, and this money is vital to the specific sub-sectors and their staff. In the stay, there are basic human requirements that must be purchased. Basic needs like food, clothing, medical services, and transportation all need to be attended to. Through this web, it is evident that tourism supports global trade. Secondly, besides money spent by tourists, the tourism money earned by the locals in terms of wages and stipends is re-injected to the economy. So we have more money in our hands, thanks to tourism. From economics, we learn that when people access more money, they increase their purchasing power. Therefore, with more money on the hands of the employees and the local community, spending is likely to increase. That is why tourism in France, just like any other nation, is said to have a multiplier effect. In simpler terms, a more significant percentage of every tourist money earned is reintroduced to the economy again and again. Eventually, the more the money earned from tourists, the greater the growth of the economy.
The benefit of diversification
Tourism has enabled France to enjoy both prosperity to an economy and also to allow the economy to develop a new form of income. Diversification gives a nation an insurance policy benefit in case of hard times. For instance, the income that France receives from tourism has been very helpful in supporting local and traditional industries, especially when they come under financial pressure. Diversification through tourism has also benefitted the rural communities in France, where there is a great risk of global commodity prices. Diversity also has helped the nation to diversify its income and reduce reliance on some industries.
Infrastructure
In France, additional revenues from tourism have been significant in improving the infrastructure of the local council or governments. Tourism has created more tax dollars that have allowed the funding of infrastructure projects in these governments. Generally, tourism has contributed to the improvement of the country’s infrastructure. We have seen better roads being built, public places being improved, and new parks being developed. Other amenities, such as hotels and hospitals, have also improved around areas with many tourist activities. Better facilities are not only good for the communities around but also attract more visitors.
Most importantly, these developments benefit local residents more. When enough revenues are collected, schools are improved, new airports are built, and hospitals are made better, among other infrastructural benefits. All these activities support the economic development of the nation hence making the lives of its people better. A good infrastructure facilitates the flow of people, goods, and services. Tourism revenues have contributed to improving the nation’s infrastructure hence making the country better.
Tourism in the economy
Tourism plays a very critical role in building the French economy. Tourism at its center has accommodation and food services, which alone accommodate over 2.5% of added value in the national accounts. Also, tourism impacts a wide range of activities as well as spending in other sectors such as leisure and transport. France is an icon in international tourism. In terms of international tourist arrivals, it is the leading destination in the world. France ranks third in international tourism-related revenues, the first and second being the USA and Spain respectively.
Investment in tourism sub-sectors such as second homes, food, and accommodation has risen to over 22 billion Euros in the sector’s share if transportation is considered.
Tourism governance and funding
The government of France placed the government’s tourism strategies to the ministry in charge of the economy since 2014. The ministry, therefore, is mandated to monitor tourism professionals, access to holidays, and standard adherence in the industry. The ministry in charge of Foreign Affairs has invested a lot in promoting France as a tourist destination. The policy implementation strategies in France involves agencies under control. The country has established agencies that are mandated to broaden access to holidays.
Additionally, several levels of local government are actively involved in tourism activities. Every regional council is required to appoint a regional tourist committee, and they have a scope of activities set in the law. In some instances, departmental councils may set up departmental tourism committees. The departmental assembly may choose the legal status of these committees. However, the composition and scope of committees are recorded in the law. The local town councils set up tourist offices that advise and promote domestic tourism. The mandate for promoting tourism and tourism activities such as opening new tourist offices has been devolved to the groupings of municipalities.
Barriers to tourism acceptance
Weather is the major factor that poses a challenge to tourism acceptance in France. When the weather gets awful, the country experiences traveling chaos. Sometimes striking workers, deadly attacks, and widespread flooding discourage tourist activities in France. The rains and attacks sometimes damage the image of the country hence discouraging foreign tourists from visiting.
Another key barrier to tourism acceptance is the lack of empowered leadership. Communities need to be empowered for them to support, fund, and promote tourism. Unfortunately, a few French citizens do not have the knowledge of why they should promote tourism. Tourism planning is another critical barrier to promotion and acceptance of tourism. There is a dire need for technical assistance on the members of society to aid the development of tourism. Technical assistance restates confidence to the local people. As a result, they develop the incentive to promote tourism themselves.
Lack of resources and funds of the tourism industry at some point in the 1990s discouraged the acceptance of tourism in France. The barrier was also common between the old and new Shiraz. This is the main barrier to community capacity building for development in the tourism industry. Lastly, the lack of coordination between the levels of government and residents in terms of tourism development has been a critical barrier to tourism acceptance in France. A lack of collaboration between governments and the residents makes it hard to divert efforts to the same course hence creating a barrier.
Tourism and culture
Tourism has both positive and negative effects on the culture of France. It is not easy to measure how tourism directly affects culture, but there are a number of indicators that show that indeed tourism has impacts on the country’s culture. The contact with a foreign, seemingly superior culture may lead to the destruction of pre-tourist cultures. Also, the notion that increasing tourism is effective in spurring economic change while strengthening the local culture has led to damages such as drug addiction, pollution, prostitution, crime, and a decline in social stability.
Additionally, tourism has caused the growth of capitalist value and consumer culture. Tourists and tourist enterprises are jointly responsible for keeping or damaging a culture. There is a need to develop a destination management unit to empower local communities. Also, a structural link between informal and formal sectors in the French tourism industry should be spearheaded by the government. This will help in developing a code of conduct as well as cultural research centers to promote cultural education centers.
Tourism management
Tourism in France is under the ministry of tourism in the government of France. The ministry is generally combined with the ministry of transport, ministry of public works, ministry of housing, and ministry of territorial development. The government of France is a key player in the management of tourist activities in the country since the government shapes the framework of operation in the industry. With regard to civil peace, the state exercises its sovereign powers and the rule of law to develop the tourism industry. The state ensures that all regulatory frameworks and legislative activities in tourism are carried according to the country’s national plan. The country has a classification of tourist resorts, which has a number of implications. For instance, a classified commune has a specific funding allocation depending on the rank. The government has also set an administrative classification for accommodation in the form of campsites, hotels, and holiday rentals. The Act of December 1992 divides institutional responsibilities in the tourism industry between different levels of the territorial government and the central government. Generally, tourism is a service, and it requires a collective effort of various agencies and institutions to be successful. Even during difficult times, tourism is one of the industries that hardly shut down in France, thanks to proper management. The public authorities provide both cultural and natural resources.
Tourism employees are adequately trained to take up their role in the country. The country universities and colleges offer training opportunities for individuals interested in the field. The curriculum used in these training institutions is nationally integrated. The government, through the ministry of education, oversees the training of individuals in this field and approve the certification process. Also, the country has a national public agency called the French Agency for Tourism Engineering (AFIT), which is administered by the State Secretariat for Tourism. The agency advises the central government on matters training of employees in the sector. In some instances, the agency can propose changes in the sector in order to provide a better response to the issues facing the industry.
Components of the tourist destination area
France is a very diverse nation. However, the country has limited natural resources in terms of quantity. For instance, the country has some coal, bauxite, and uranium and iron ores. The coal veins are not very useful in the manufacture of steel, and they are located very deep. The iron ores are of a low grade, and uranium is found in minimal quantities. The few available natural gases are almost exhausted, and the deposits of petroleum are almost nonexistent. The country’s hydroelectric production is not sufficient enough to meet the country’s needs. However, France has high-quality soils that encourage agricultural activities, and that’s why the country is a food exporter. Even with these limitations, the country has maximized on the few available resources to become the leading tourist attraction in the world. The country is famous for its wines and cheeses. Tourists are also attracted to its beautiful countryside and historic sites. It has an agreeable climate but can become a barrier during heavy rains and floods. France has one of the best beaches in the world and a wide range of winter sports. It has a rich culture of food and wines, of which some are celebrated globally.
Infrastructure and transportation systems
France enjoys one of the most developed infrastructures in the world. Their roads and railways have been designed and made by advanced technologies in the world. The whole country has a range of transport modes, including air transport. Road transport, water, and rail transport. In some areas, transportation is possible via rivers. The rail system is advanced since it uses the technologically advanced railways in. France is one of the best countries that have the fastest trains in the world, which is operated by a state-owned company. The majority of the roads in France are paved. France has over 474 airports, and most of them serve international traffic. The country’s major airline is Air France, which provides services to all parts of the world. The country also has many ports and harbors which are equipped to handle the needs of the passenger ships and freight.
Hospitality customs
Food is one of the greatest passions of the people of France. Their cooking is highly refined, and the cooking process gives attention to detail. They prefer the use of fresh ingredients. The food varies by region, depending on what is grown locally. Family is the social adhesive of the nation. Each family member is assigned certain roles and responsibilities. The extended family is a critical component of their family structure, and it offers financial and emotional support. The French have some practical approaches to marriage. Most families have few children, and parents take the role of raising their children very seriously. The French are mostly private people. They have different rules established for individuals within their social circle and those who aren’t. Their friendship introduces a set of responsibilities. The French are polite in most of their dealings, but more open to their close friends. Handshake their common form of greeting, and they are welcoming to visitors. Their main greeting is “bonjour” or “Bonsoir”. They have gift-giving etiquette and dining etiquette.
The life cycle of destination
France fits in the development stage of the destination. From the statistics, we realize that the country has had a rapidly increasing number of tourists visiting the nation in the recent past. Also, the country has various activities aimed at promoting artificial attraction. It also involves intensive and extensive advertising activities across multiple channels. There is enhanced accessibility and rapid landscape change. Most of these attributes belong to the characteristics of the development stage of the life cycle destination.
Tourism planning and marketing
French tourism planning has undergone a number of key changes in the past 65 years. Across the ages, tourism planning in France has tended to look like the general European regionalization process of tourism policies. Since 1985, nine laws have been voted to regulate tourism planning and organization. The role of regions is increasingly becoming dependent on the level of investment. However, the tourism industry is not based on a distribution of competencies into different blocks of skills, depending on the features of local authorities. France is not the leader of tourism planning within its territorial remit. There are departments developed to classify the nation’s infrastructure, accommodation, and tourist information centers. Since 2009, the French tourism policy has been the remit of the Ministry of Finance, Industry, and Employment. It was previously under the ministry of state and its services before it was scrapped in 2009. today, tourism is managed at a national level under the same policies that regulate businesses, organizations, professions, and craft industry.
Marketing strategies
France has positioned itself as a leading tourism destination in the world. It has been consistent in its marketing strategy through intensive international marketing campaigns. Online marketing has been very beneficial to the country’s growth in the industry. The state uses paid promotions to get its services known to the world across various channels. France also uses international tourism-related forums for marketing their tourism. They have utilized channels such as international expos to make known their tourism packages. On the consumer front, Atout France and its partners have helped France actively promote in the US and other countries. An event such as “Best of France,” which was helpful in the United States, attracted an estimated 500,000 visitors who were potential tourists to France. The group has also carried out similar campaigns across the nation, attracting thousands of potential clients. These marketing campaigns have allowed France to spread their joint message to thousands of trade contacts across the world, as well as millions of potential customers. France’s marketing campaigns target generational groups, meeting planners, travel agents, and cruise professionals from various nations. As a result, the country’s airline last year reports more sales of airline tickets to tourists. The goal of their marketing campaign is to tell consumers and travel agents about their improved tourism products, such as improves meeting facilities, wine roads, beaches, urban offerings, as well as festivals and key events.
Trends and future of the tourism industry in France
Environmental concerns are becoming a major concern in France since it has become essential territories concerned with mass tourism developments. For example, seaside resorts have been controversial when talking about the nation’s land policy. Also, consumer preferences are rapidly changing. Today, customers’ expectations have evolved significantly. More and more customers are now consuming shorter stays and taking advantage of the overabundant offer. The discovery of local heritage has made tourism more sensitive. In the future, tourism actors and political figures should work together to encourage better integration of environmental issues in their tourism offer. This approach will lead to the development of a series of initiatives that will bring together all actors and stakeholders to take the industry to another level.
Conclusion
This paper has established that the France Tourism sector and why it is the leading in the world. Tourism benefits the country in several ways ranging from the creation of employment opportunities to boost the nation’s economy. The paper has also discussed how tourism is managed in France. Their efficient marketing and promotion strategies have also been identified. According to the research findings of this paper, the French tourism industry fits in the Development stage of the life cycle of the destination. The article has also established that the country has a robust transport network, and the overall infrastructure is up to standard. Environmental factors emerged as the leading country’s concern that must be fixed in the future.