|
"Our attitude problem is not something to be proud of," says Paris politician
|
View this Thread in Original format
| imokruok |
This is a great article with some really interesting facts. First off, I never knew that France counted people on layovers as tourists. That sheds a whole new light on their tourist numbers. CDG airport is the main European gateway to Africa and much of the Middle East, so there are millions of people who are being counted who never set foot outside of the airport.
Second, the critique of how the French deal with visitors is absolutely correct. The French aren't much on neighborly non-familial relationships, which is very much different from Anglo nations. When I lived in Paris, it was extraordinarily hard to meet people in my apartment building, because they didn't want to meet you!
As one commentator recently noted, the French are married to two things: their families, and the state. Many French still drive hundreds miles to visit parents or grandparents on the weekend, but they won't lift a finger for those who aren't related. And when they can't support someone in their family, they expect the state to do it.
| quote: |
Our attitude problem is not something to be proud of, says Paris politician
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...10/ixworld.html
The Sunday Telegraph
By Kim Willsher in Paris (Filed: 10/10/2004)
The French are arrogant, rude and surly to foreign visitors.
For once - quelle surprise! - the thought comes not from an embittered tourist but the leading French politician behind a damning report on how the Gallic welcome leaves much to be desired.
Senator Bernard Plasait, a member of France's upper house of parliament, has concluded what millions of visitors have known for years. "Our bad image in this area, the arrogance we are accused of, our refusal to speak foreign languages, the sense we give that it's a great honour to visit us are among the ugly facts of which we should not be proud," reads the first paragraph of his report, commissioned by the government.
"Certainly these accusations don't date from yesterday," the report continues. "In the 18th century, Horace Walpole wrote that he couldn't stand the French. 'I detest them for their insolent and misplaced air of superiority,' he declares.
"Where does this detestable reputation, which is like a ball and chain, come from?" His conclusion is that the French have only themselves to blame for their notoriety.
Mr Plasait's report was commissioned by the prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, after a drop in the number of tourists visiting France last year.
France is still the world's number one tourist destination in terms of numbers. But the report concludes that this is meaningless as a considerable proportion are just passing through on their way somewhere else.
"To claim we are the 'number one tourist destination in the world' doesn't count for anything," says the report. "Among the 75 million visitors counted in 2003 were those who were only crossing the country, once on their way to Spain or Italy and a second time to return home."
The report says a more realistic way of judging is by the annual income from tourists that places France in third position with €30 billion (£20.4 billion) after the United States - €73 billion - and Spain, on €33 billion.
It also says an Ipsos survey of world travellers who were asked which countries they would most like to travel to placed France fourth behind Italy, Spain, Britain and equal to the US.
The government was particularly alarmed by the 21 per cent drop in spending by US visitors to just under €5.2 million, The report focuses on visitors' first impressions of French airports, ports and railway stations - which, it concluded, were "often negative".
It criticised a lack of warmth and professionalism among staff, and a failure to regard the customer as king.
Paris' main airport Charles de Gaulle/Roissy, which handles almost 50 million passengers a year, was singled out for a particular slating. Surly staff, slow baggage handlers, a lack of "Welcome to France" signs, confusing directions, poor transport connections, slow and dirty trains and taxi drivers who do not speak English were among the complaints.
The report also attacks immigration officers for giving a bad impression of the country, singling out those at the Eurostar terminal in London. "Instead of behaving like ambassadors for France, they don't even respond to 'hello' or a smile," it says.
"A welcome without a smile and without warmth is like a cold shower for a traveller who is expecting to be enchanted by a romantic city," says the report. "Our welcome has to be magic, it has to give an image of excellence and availability."
Laurent Monsaigneon, the director of ports in the Cote d'Azur, believes that the problems lie in cultural and social differences. "The Anglo-Saxons and Scandinavians are instilled with a certain attitude very early in infant and primary schools that includes respect and listening to others. The French put more emphasis on performance," he said.
"When Americans are formally introduced, they don't give their names but exchange a few polite words and engage in conversation which is superficial but gives the other person confidence. In France we size each other up on our education and social standing, rather than attempt to find out about the other person. The mediocrity of the tourist welcome 'a la francaise' is due in part to unease during initial contact."
Mr Plasait concludes his report with 81 proposals on how the French can become better hosts. He says that they have to become motivated and enthusiastic. "They have to learn that the tourist is not a nuisance but a benefit. Our welcome is not good enough. This is not a fantasy but a cruel reality."
Leon Bertrand, the minister for tourism, said: "Our aim is to let tourists know that France is trying to improve its welcome, and the French that they have to do better."
|
|
|
|
| .montecarlo. |
| what is this relevant to? |
|
|
|
|
