2023-07-01 14:12:00
To what extent has the urban violence that has shaken France since the death of young Nahel, killed by a policeman in Nanterre on Tuesday June 27, an impact on the catering and hotel industry?
Frank Delvau: The impact of the riots on tourism in Paris is already catastrophic. There are of course the restaurateurs and hoteliers whose establishments have been the direct target of urban violence.
But almost all the others are also affected, indirectly. I am thinking for example of a colleague from Clamart (Hauts-de-Seine), forced to close his restaurant at 8:30 p.m. to respect the curfew decided by the mayor after the fire of a tram in his town. Many restaurateurs are also forced to end their service earlier in order to allow their employees to return home, while buses and trams have ceased, since Thursday and at least until this evening Saturday July 1, to run at 9 p.m. .
This weekend promises to be rich in events likely to attract people to cafes, restaurants and hotels in Paris and its surroundings…
F. D. : Yes, the example that immediately comes to mind is that of this hotelier who, in his establishment of around sixty rooms, has just suffered five cancellations from clients who were to attend one of the Mylène Farmer concerts at the Stade de France on Friday June 30 or Saturday July 1, concerts that had to be canceled.
This very beginning of June also coincides with the first weekend of sales. The stores and shopping centers that were to be open this Sunday will probably be fewer in number. Ordinarily, this is the time when, after strolling through the shops, we sit down at the cafe or restaurant.
Professionals in the sector were also counting on an increase in attendance linked to the film festival, which begins on Sunday July 2. But the context is hardly conducive to outings.
Do you fear the effects of the riots on the tourist attractiveness of Paris and France in general?
F. D. : As a tourist told me recently, Paris will always remain, whatever happens, ” the most beautiful city in the world “. But the images and comments relayed for a few days by the foreign press, sometimes with a form of delight, almost make one believe in a civil war. Some countries such as Great Britain or the United States have already warned their nationals, to whom they advise to avoid riot zones.
Unfortunately, this violence follows other images that hurt us a lot, when, a few months ago, in the context of the challenge to the pension reform, the garbage collectors stopped their work: even though tourism and the activity had just restarted after the Covid, the trash cans were overflowing in front of our terraces, rats sometimes sneaked between the tables…
What dissuade a part of the foreign customers to come to us?
F. D. : Yes, especially the high-end clientele, who often organize their stay at the last moment. She has no trouble abandoning Paris at the last minute, in favor of Barcelona, Rome or Lisbon.
Moreover, such events should not be repeated during the two major sporting events which are looming and which serve as a sounding board, the Rugby World Cup, scheduled for September and October, as well as the Olympic Games, scheduled for ‘next summer. The effect would be truly disastrous.
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