Support of €18 billion has been announced by the French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to the tourism industry and related services in an attempt to restore the industry.
The support program will focus mainly on three sectors:
- Health measures, information, and reassurance for travelers.
- Fiscal support
- Preparing a contract for tourism recovery and transformation.
These measures have been announced after the PM’s Interministerial Tourism Committee meeting alongside Christian Mantei, Chairman, and Caroline Leboucher, Group CEO of Atout France. The tourism plan announced by the minister covers various material measures in order to recover the affected areas of industry.
During the meeting, he emphasized that “tourism was probably facing the toughest test in its modern history even though it is one of the jewels of the French economy.”
Atout France will handle the tourism plan
In order to restart the activities of the tourism industry with necessary health precautions, the Agency will bring on the effective people together to accomplish an initiative and one distinctive logo which will inspire people to find and pass on health protocols during performing any tourism activities. It will get involved with the national campaign in order to promote these protocols and it will be passed out by the Government’s Information Service.
- Under the partnership of important public-sector and local tourism professionals, Atout France will start a communication campaign from June 2020. Also this partnership will help with the restoration of the tourism industry and encourage people to come to France.
- Banques des territoires will increase the financial support for engineering in local areas across France, particularly capacity building together with Atout France increasing the France Tourisme Ingénierie initiative.
- In order to reinforce digital innovation and renewal of the tourism industry, Atout France will be completely devoted to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ministry for the Economy and Finance, Welcome City lab, Banque des Territoires and Bpifrance. However, to get innovative ideas that may help to increase tourism in the future, Atout France and Welcome City lab will welcome the projects to businesses and start-ups.
- At last, Atout France will actively participate in order to make roadmaps for different sectors and territories, and for tourism recovery and transformation contract agency will participate with discussions, which will be organized under the authority of the tourism sector committee. This discussion first happened in autumn 2020. Atout France with local authorities will announce a comprehensive formalization which is experienced in tourism and the regions.
Restarting the sector
The prime minister also made various statements on restarting the sector:
- Dates for resuming cafes and restaurants will be decided in the week starting 25 May. If the current scenario doesn’t get worse the cafes and restaurants in ‘green’ departments may resume from June 2.
- In July and August, French people can go on vacation (including foreign countries)
- If any reservation has been canceled due to COVID 19 in the hotel and tourism sector, the money will get refunded to customers.
- In the coming week the government will present a plan in order to encourage social tourism as it will allow everyone to go on vacation.
Also Read: Greece Is Reopening Borders To Tourists
