The draw of France is clear, from the romance of the Parisian streets and the attractiveness of the Normandy coastal villages to the prestige of Bordeaux’s châteaux, the exhilaration of the Alps’ slopes, and the refinement of the French Riveria. It should therefore come as no surprise that it is on course to overtake the United States as the most visited nation by the year 2025, when 93.7 million foreign tourists are expected to arrive, as reported by Traveller.
Destination French Plan
While Spain had edged out its neighbour in 2021, France is on track to reclaim the title it had long held before the pandemic – the most visited country in the world – with a 12.1 % compound annual growth in visitation between 2022 and 2025, the data analytics company said. (Spain’s growth is expected to rise to 89.5 million by 2025.)
“Visitation to France and Spain will remain strong in the years to come, with festivals, culture, and gastronomy being a big pull for tourists,” GlobalData travel and tourism analyst Hannah Free said.
“Both countries have a lot to offer visitors, with their own unique cultures, cuisines, and atmospheres.
Both countries are also relatively large, with a diverse and varied landscape, and each country has its own unique coastline.”
“With the Destination France Plan, the French Government intends to set an actual road map for the development and transformation of the tourism sector over the next 10 years,” Anne-Laure Tuncer, director of the country’s tourism board Atout France says, noting a particular emphasis on a goal toward being the top sustainable destination by 2030.
Tourism infrastructure
The commitment toward pushing forward the tourism infrastructure can already be seen, Tuncer says, citing hotels like Le Grand Contrôle on the Château de Versailles grounds, the recently opened Anantara Plaza Hotel in Nice, and the eco-friendly Les Sources de Cheverny and the palace-turned-resort Fleur de Loire in the Loire Valley.
A new kind of destination experience – La Vallée de la Gastronomie – features three regions banding together to focus on a gastronomic journey.
Even the iconic French baguette received a UNESCO designation last year.
France is also set to become the most visited country in the world due to the increase in travellers diversifying their interests.
Its airport is one of a handful that is carbon neutral, and its gastronomical flair is rooted in a mysterious Chef Factory school that churns out world-class chefs and a Bouchons Lyonnais designation.
Wine innovation
Just last year, Bordeaux was granted the title, lauded for its wine region’s innovation, seen at wineries like Chateau Paloumey, a fully organic operation that’s been testing new methods of growing rows of trees in its vineyards, and its wine storytelling at the interactive museum, La Cite Du Vin.
But Bordeaux has proven itself to be so much more than wine, especially on the sustainability front.
“In 2023, we will have increased capacity by 15 % over the last five years and 5% in 2022, offering 5.3 million seats between the US and France,” Air France’s senior vice president of North America Eric Caron says.
The carrier is also prepping for the rollout of a new business-class cabin from New York City’s JFK International Airport later this month.
The increased accessibility will help foster growth as the country continues to lead by example not just by opening its doors, but by luring guests in mindfully.
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Source: Traveller
