Olympic Dreams Turn to Disappointment for Paris's Tourism Sector

A report by Lea Fayad, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine 

All of Paris's hopes were that the Olympic Games would bring a positive boom to the tourism sector at the height of the tourist season. But just a few days before the launch of this huge event, this hope is turning into disappointment for many establishments.

Take a look at this hotel in Montmartre, which is usually fully booked at this time of year. Out of the 15 million people expected to visit the city during the Olympics, 13 million are from within France and only 2 million from outside the country. This wasn't enough to boost the hotel sector, which saw a 25% decline in bookings compared to 2023, despite the discounts offered by hotels to encourage visitors.

The tourism situation might worsen in the coming days with visitors finding it difficult to reach tourist sites in the city center due to Olympic-related measures. This means you'll easily find a table at a restaurant overlooking the Seine without a reservation, and if you want to go shopping, you might find the store closed because many shop owners have taken a vacation due to the lack of customers.

Air France, which had increased its flights from American cities to Paris by 15% during the Olympics, announced that it expects to record a loss of $200 million after many travelers decided to avoid the city, anticipating it would be more crowded than usual.

Paris is the most visited city in the world, with 44 million visitors annually. So, will the Olympics, despite its magnitude and importance, turn into a curse for tourism and the economy?