Paris to Launch ‘Charm Offensive’ to Boost Tourism

(Source: Internet)

According to French current affairs radio, RFI, Paris is planning to launch a "charm offensive" in order to bring visitors back to the city and reignite foreign visitors “love affair” with the City of Light.

Paris has been hit hard by a large drop in tourism brought about by the terrorist attacks last year and recent flooding and heavy rains. Estimates suggest that the city lost 1 billion euros per month in income, according to regional council leader Valerie Pecresse.

“After visiting Tokyo, Seoul, New York and Boston to discuss with tourism professionals and investors, she has drawn up a plan to court potential visitors, scared off by terror attacks and June's freak bad weather,” says RFI.

The plan’s price tag is 23 million euros and includes the deployment of tourism volunteers, mobile police stations at tourist sites, a name change for the “state of emergency” to “state of high security,” a new Welcome to Paris website and a joint tourism campaign.

There are also plans for a CityPass that will include public transport and entry to major tourism venues, which is planned for September 2018.