In 2016, more than 83 million tourists visited France, slightly less than in 2015, but it is still one of the most popular destinations and one of the most visited countries, said the Government of France.
“Last year was also a year of terrorist attacks, floods and social unrest, but the number of tourists shows that France is still the most popular destination in the world, as it was in 2015 when it overtook the United States and Spain,” said Jean-Marc Héroe, French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development at a press conference in Biarritz.
In 2015, a record 85 million tourists visited France.
Eroe then praised the government’s efforts to improve the image of French tourism abroad by implementing a “promotion plan” in which 10 million euros were invested.
In his opinion, the plan has produced good results because it has helped to restore the confidence of Japanese tourists who massively cancelled arrangements for France after the terrorist attacks of 2015 and 2016.
Héroe pointed out that the French government’s goal is to reach the figure of 100 million foreign visitors in 2020 and that, as he explained, this will be achieved by strengthening the security of tourists and improving the quality of services.
