Peak attendance today concerns destinations, cities, monuments, events and natural sites where the influx of tourists sometimes constitutes a threat to the very preservation of these destinations, for the environment, to the quality of life of residents and to the tourism experience itself.
According to the World Tourism Organisation, 95% of global tourists would visit less than 5% of the land surface. The consequences of this phenomenon are multiple, including peaks in visitor numbers at certain times of the year at tourist sites, rising real estate prices in tourist areas and harmful impacts on the environment (artificialisation of natural spaces, impact on air quality, congestion of waste treatment systems, threats to biodiversity, etc.). These consequences can lead to phenomena of “rejection” of tourism and/or tourists by local populations or opposition to tourist infrastructure projects.
Under the aegis of the Minister responsible for tourism, Olivia Grégoire, the General Directorate of Entreprises and the Network of Major Sites of France co-piloted a working group dedicated to the management of tourist flows which brought together, in the first half of 2023, representatives of the ministries concerned (in particular the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion) and State Operators (Atout France, National Bank, ADEME, ANCT), local elected officials, tourism stakeholders (ADN Tourisme, the confederation of tourism stakeholders), professional federations, tourism companies, and researchers.
Several needs were expressed, including: (i) better dissemination of good practices implemented by certain tourist sites and/or local authorities, (ii) a need to support territories in observing and measuring tourist flows and their impacts, (iii) structuring a dialogue at the territorial and national level, (iv) the establishment of a resource centre where information can be found, (v) support for territories in engineering and investment so that they can adapt their tourist offer, (vi) training for tourism stakeholders, and (vii) raising awareness among visitors and residents about the deployment of tourism strategies.
The stakeholders converge on the idea that the resolution of these difficulties must take place at the local level and at the initiative of local elected officials according to the specificities of each site, but that the State can play a central role in providing tools and support.
Based on this work, a strategy was prepared around four axes with the ambition of reconciling the development of the local economic fabric with the sustainability and preservation of the environment of tourist sites, enabling territories to develop controlled management of flows in order to improve the acceptability of tourism, and to structure dialogue at the national level drawing on the work already undertaken at the territorial level.
The measures planned in this strategy will be implemented and deployed from 2023 and continued in 2024.
Peak attendance today concerns destinations, cities, monuments, events and natural sites where the influx of tourists sometimes constitutes a threat to the very preservation of these destinations, for the environment, to the quality of life of residents and to the tourism experience itself.
According to the World Tourism Organisation, 95% of global tourists would visit less than 5% of the land surface. The consequences of this phenomenon are multiple, including peaks in visitor numbers at certain times of the year at tourist sites, rising real estate prices in tourist areas and harmful impacts on the environment (artificialisation of natural spaces, impact on air quality, congestion of waste treatment systems, threats to biodiversity, etc.). These consequences can lead to phenomena of “rejection” of tourism and/or tourists by local populations or opposition to tourist infrastructure projects.
Under the aegis of the Minister responsible for tourism, Olivia Grégoire, the General Directorate of Entreprises and the Network of Major Sites of France co-piloted a working group dedicated to the management of tourist flows which brought together, in the first half of 2023, representatives of the ministries concerned (in particular the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion) and State Operators (Atout France, National Bank, ADEME, ANCT), local elected officials, tourism stakeholders (ADN Tourisme, the confederation of tourism stakeholders), professional federations, tourism companies, and researchers.
Several needs were expressed, including: (i) better dissemination of good practices implemented by certain tourist sites and/or local authorities, (ii) a need to support territories in observing and measuring tourist flows and their impacts, (iii) structuring a dialogue at the territorial and national level, (iv) the establishment of a resource centre where information can be found, (v) support for territories in engineering and investment so that they can adapt their tourist offer, (vi) training for tourism stakeholders, and (vii) raising awareness among visitors and residents about the deployment of tourism strategies.
The stakeholders converge on the idea that the resolution of these difficulties must take place at the local level and at the initiative of local elected officials according to the specificities of each site, but that the State can play a central role in providing tools and support.
Based on this work, a strategy was prepared around four axes with the ambition of reconciling the development of the local economic fabric with the sustainability and preservation of the environment of tourist sites, enabling territories to develop controlled management of flows in order to improve the acceptability of tourism, and to structure dialogue at the national level drawing on the work already undertaken at the territorial level.
The measures planned in this strategy will be implemented and deployed from 2023 and continued in 2024.
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