Visitors to France generally take their time exploring the country, and travels can last for several weeks. However, after experiencing a brief dip in interest over 2009, officials have reported that visitor levels in the country have increased dramatically for 2010, and holidaymakers should not put off plans to visit the tourist hotspot.
According to Herve Novelli, France’s secretary of state whose responsibilities include tourism, the duration of 2010 holds promise for the country’s tourism fortunes. “The year of 2010 should allow the industry to regain visitor levels equivalent to those of 2008, that is before the [economic] crisis.”
France has much appeal for international tourists, boasting a diverse landscape that affords visitors many different opportunities on their travels. While many prefer the sights on holidays in Paris, others choose to visit the country in the wintertime, taking flights to Lyon to experience the wonder of the French Alps, ideally suited to skiing and other snowsports.
France has long held the title of most-visited country in the world, with international tourist numbers totalling over 82 million in 2007, putting it well ahead of Spain and the United States, other popular points of travel.
The French Riviera is another oft-visited location in France, comprising its shores on the Mediterranean Sea anchored by Marseille.
According to Christopher Hagoplan, director of tourism for Le Lavandou, a resort town on the Riviera, “there hasn’t been a bed to spare.
“We cannot meet last minute requests for accommodation,” he told the Var-Matin newspaper.
