Hospitality, gastronomy… What are the 2 countries that tourists are likely to prefer to France?

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– Asked about their travel intentions, 28,844 people from around thirty countries, surveyed online from March 12 to April 2 by Harris Interactive for Atout France, placed France in third position.

Is France on the verge of falling from its pedestal as the world’s leading tourist destination? According to a study published Tuesday June 4 by the firm Harris Interactive x Toluna for the tourism development agency Atout France, its two main competitors, Spain and Italy, could soon steal the show. Sense of welcome, value for money, accommodation, high-end gastronomy and local gastronomy, cultural visits, shopping, outdoor sports activities… How do foreign travelers perceive France? Nearly 30,000 respondents from all four corners of the globe answered the question and painted a rather nuanced picture of the country.

Among its key assets, France can count on “its high-end gastronomy, its wine tours, its landscapes and its amusement parks», Lists Harris Interactive. But respondents also expressed France’s weaknesses on essential criteria in choosing their vacation destination, even as Paris prepares to receive 15 million visitors this summer for the Olympic Games.

The 2024 Olympics, a showcase to restore the image of French hospitality

The quality of reception is thus perceived by foreign tourists as being less good in France than among our Italian and Spanish neighbors. This is an area for improvement.crucial», Recognizes Caroline Leboucher, general director of Atout France, France’s tourism development agency. To put an end to the prejudice of the grumpy Frenchman, Atout France has set up, since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, a series of videos on its YouTube account, aimed at all tourism professionals. “We already have more than 700,000 views and we hope to reach 100 million by the Games. Our goal is to offer servers, VTCs, taxis and even receptionists free tips for better welcoming foreign travelers and enhance the tourist experience», Specifies the general director of Atout France. A tourist experience which ultimately reveals itself “better than they expected before leaving», says Caroline Leboucher.

A preference for the gastronomy of Spanish and Italian regions

France’s other major difficulty lies in competition from its neighbors in terms of “local gastronomy, charming villages to visit, shopping and cultural or natural places», Note the authors of the study. “These are very important criteria for foreign visitors, on which we absolutely must work», insists Caroline Leboucher.

Indeed, some international tourists have a more favorable perception of Italian and Spanish dishes, such as tapas and pizza, considered less expensive than food in France. France suffers from its image as a country of haute cuisine, which erases local culinary particularities. “It is therefore essential to highlight this diversity of French regional dishes, such as crepe Bretonne, bouillabaisse and quiche Lorraine, and to make them more accessible.», specifies Caroline Leboucher.

Efforts are already underway, particularly on social networks, and through 22 festive and friendly events organized as part of the 2024 Olympic Games, such as the gastronomic villages in Nanterre.

Although it ranks third in travel intentions behind Spain and Italy, France remains a destination of choice, with 100 million visitors expected this year.