Paris tourism down after attacks, strikes and floods

PARIS

The Paris region has suffered from a decline in the number of tourists not seen since 2010, resulting in a revenue loss of 750 million euros ($849.38 million) during the first six months of 2016, according to a report published on Tuesday.

Compared to same period in 2015, the French capital saw a decrease of 1 million visitors – both nationals and internationals - during the first six months of 2016, a 6.4 percent drop, said the Paris regional tourism committee report.

"It's time to realize that the tourism sector is going through an industrial disaster," Frederic Valletoux, head of the committee, said in a statement. "This is no longer the time for communication campaigns but to set up a relief plan."

The French tourism sector, which employs nearly 2 million people, accounts for 7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Over 13 percent of that total comes from the Paris region.

The report explained the fall in tourism was a result of the recent terror attacks that hit the country and Europe, union strikes against a controversial labor bill and floods in the spring at the start of summer.

France is the most visited country in the world, with almost 85 million foreign visitors last year, including 16 million in Paris, according to the global tourism index.