BTB
France plans to spend a million euros ($NZ1.72 million) to lure back foreign tourists after pictures of burning cars and angry youths shown on televisions around the world during recent riots damaged its image.
The Tourism Ministry said yesterday it would take out advertisements in newspapers and travel websites, with one showing a couple embracing next to the Eiffel Tower. The campaign will particularly target potential visitors from United States, Japan, China, Australia and Russia who France estimates are most sensitive to pictures of the violence that flared up in many of France’s suburbs in November.
“In terms of image, the impact was inevitably negative for France,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said they had seen cancellations from Russia and Japan but said that Americans took more of a wait-and-see attitude towards their holidays.
Tourism accounted for 6.5 percent of gross domestic product in France last year and tourist expenditure totaled 95.8 billion euros, according to government figures.
The ministry said it would take out internet spots with the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune and the San Francisco Chronicle to win over the American market. The rioting was blamed mostly on youths who feel excluded from mainstream society and who are frustrated by racism, harsh police treatment and high unemployment. * dwi/etn
