Paris tourism on the rise despite economic woes

Paris tourism officials said Tuesday they expect visits to the City of Light to hold up this year despite a huge drop in the number of U.S. visitors — many pinched by an expensive euro, fuel-inflated prices for airline tickets and economic woes at home.

The number of Americans tourists in the French capital, traditionally its largest group of foreign visitors, tumbled 20 percent in the first six months of the year, according to figures based on overnight hotel stays.

Paul Roll, director of Paris’ Tourism Office, said he expects a similar fall in the second half of the year.

The drop in visitors from the United States was offset by an increase in visitors from Britain, which overtook the U.S. as Paris’ top foreign client in the first half.

Paris also is attracting more visitors from the Middle East, India, South America and Eastern Europe.

Overall, the number of visitors increased 2.2 percent to 17.3 million in the first half, according to figures based on overnight hotel stays.

“Paris is doing well,” said Jean-Claude Lesourd, president of Paris’ Tourism Office. “2008 will be a very good year — as good as last year, and perhaps even better.”

His optimism contrasts with the outlook for the global economy, which continues to wobble despite the recent fall in oil prices and the euro’s retreat from record highs against the dollar.

On the streets of Paris, many North American tourists said they are feeling the pain.

“Paris is an expensive city, but I never thought it would be this bad,” said Veronique Lesage. The 25-year-old from Quebec City took a short trip to Paris from Scotland, where she is working as a receptionist.

“I’m glad I’m paying for this trip with British pounds because you don’t get much for your Canadian dollar,” she said.

Anne More, 76, visiting Paris with two friends from Naples, Fla., paid for her ticket with frequent flyer miles, avoiding the fuel surcharge. But she says the expensive euro is making life difficult.

“We’ve had to cut back on a lot of things,” she said as she admired the golden statues adorning the Palais Garnier.

Yet even as consumers rein in spending on staples and cut back on luxuries, hotels in Paris were able to raise prices in the first half — with average prices up 6.4 percent, according to figures complied by MKG Hospitality consultants.

Paris is resisting the downturn thanks to the mix of visitors and a rough balance between French and foreign visitors, and between leisure and business trips, he said.

The Rosmadis, a Malaysian family living in the British city of Norwich, chose to make their first trip to Paris “mostly for Eurodisney,” said Atirak, 15. “And because Paris is a dream city,” chimed in her sister, Amalia, 18.

Julia Mojica, who saved half her salary for a year to pay for a ticket to Paris from the Dominican Republic, has a very special reason for coming: her daughter, who lives in Paris, is expecting a baby.

“It’s very expensive, but I had to be here for the birth,” she said.