France Targets High-Spenders, Sweden Faces Heat and India-China Reconnect
Photo Credit: Tourists around Paris’ Basilica of Sacré Coeur de Montmartre. Skift
Skift Take
We start September with a look France’s tourism numbers, Sweden’s thermometer numbers, and the restart of India-China flights.
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France is the world’s most visited country, but its leaders believe the country needs to attract more high-spending visitors, writes Contributor Chrissie McClatchie.
France’s new marketing strategy will target long-distance travelers from Asia, the Gulf region, and North America, who usually spend more per trip than European visitors. France, which ranked fourth globally in tourism revenue last year, aims to increase its international tourism earnings by 41% from its current levels by 2030.
Rose-Marie Abel, interim CEO of Atout France, said French officials aren’t simply looking to increase visitor numbers, but to encourage longer, higher-quality stays.
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Next, although Northern Europe has seen record-breaking heat this summer, Sweden’s tourism chief says its impact on tourism has been minimal so far, writes Climate Reporter Darin Graham.
Susanne Andersson, the chief executive of Visit Sweden, told Skift that the country remains well–positioned to attract international tourists. She cited a generally cooler climate that enables visitors to participate in activities such as hiking, bicycling, and kayaking.
However, Andersson acknowledged that climate change poses serious threats over time. Graham reports climate projections suggest Sweden and its Nordic neighbors will warm faster than the global average.
Finally, India and China have agreed to restart direct flights after more than a five-year pause, reports Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia.
Bhutia writes the move represents a cautious step toward rebuilding ties that collapsed during the pandemic and subsequent border tensions. However, neither Chinese nor Indian officials have mentioned a timeline for the flights to resume.
Prior to the collapse of the China-India network in 2020, the two countries had 539 direct passenger flights a month.
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