Has France become a dangerous destination for travellers?

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This was published 9 years ago

Has France become a dangerous destination for travellers?

By Michael Gebicki
The world's most visited country: France welcomed almost 85 million foreign travellers in 2013.

The world's most visited country: France welcomed almost 85 million foreign travellers in 2013.

The recent terrorist attacks in Paris are no reason to avoid France.

To underwrite the safety of its own citizens and everyone else on its soil, the French government has deployed massive numbers of police and military forces on the streets of Paris, in other cities and in sensitive areas throughout the country. The deployment is part of a suite of security measures it is hoped will be sufficient to dampen the enthusiasm of any would-be terrorists who might be considering follow-up attacks.

For France, much is at stake besides public safety. France is the world's most visited country, and welcomed almost 85 million foreign travellers in 2013. Tourism is worth $212 billion to its economy, which amounts to about 7 per cent of French GDP. In the Ile-de-France region, an area that includes Paris, the tourism industry employs 550,000 people. It is the country's biggest industry.

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For visitors, the enhanced security means additional screening at museums, galleries and places of worship, possibly causing delays and inconvenience. There is a possibility of being stopped, questioned and searched by police.

For travellers who might want to visit France but are concerned what the additional security might mean for their holiday, regional France and the smaller French cities might be preferable to Paris.

The Australian Government has not upgraded the advice for France on Smart Traveller, its travel website, as a result of recent events in Paris. It advises travellers visiting France should "exercise normal safety precautions", the lowest rung on its travel advisory scale.

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