France’s tourism minister ‘angry’ at slow pace on road to better accessibility in public spaces

(3 Sep 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Paris, France – 3 September 2024
1. French Tourism Minister Olivia Grégoire arriving for press conference
2. Grégoire behind lectern during press conference
3. SOUNDBITE (French) Olivia Grégoire, French Tourism Minister:
"In terms of revenue from international tourism, in July, we note 8 percent increase. Before the summer, total spendings by international tourists in France amounted to 32.5 billion euros ($35.8 billion), a 6 percent increase compared to the first semester of 2023."
4. Mid of journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (French) Olivia Grégoire, French Tourism Minister:
"A Gold medal to Chinese, American and Japanese visitors since airports saw an increase in arrivals from these three countries. A 43 percent hike for arrivals from China, a 13 percent increase for arrivals from the US and Japan in July and August."
6. Wide of press conference
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Olivia Grégoire, French Tourism Minister:
"It is important that establishments open to the public, including the tourism sector, although they’re far from being the last to get onboard, really started to commit to a law that was passed 19 years ago (regarding accessibility for the disabled). I say this with good humour, but there’s much anger inside. It’s nice to watch the Olympics and more importantly, the Paralympic Games. It’s beautiful and I’m the first to do so, to cheer on our athletes in wheelchairs. It’s even better if they could visit all of the restaurants, hotels, cafés and shops across France."
8. Various exteriors of French Finance Ministry

ASSOCIATED PRESS
ARCHIVE: Paris, France – 27 June 2024
9. Tourist boat passing under bridge on River Seine, Eiffel Tower in background
10. Various of tourist boats on the Seine
11. Wide of Musée d’Orsay
12. People sitting outside cafe
13. Various street scenes
STORYLINE:
France’s tourism minister urged hotels, bars and restaurants to become more accessible to customers with disabilities, saying the slow pace of change filled her with anger.

Olivia Grégoire told reporters Tuesday at a press conference in Paris that "It’s beautiful to cheer on our athletes in wheelchairs" at the ongoing Paralympic Games.

But added that "It’s even better if they could visit all of the restaurants, hotels, cafes and shops across Franc."

Last November, the French Government earmarked 350 million euros ($386 million) towards helping owners transform their venue to make them more accessible.

Grégoire said only a few hundred of them had filled in the paperwork.

The French minister also welcomed initial reports showing the Olympic Games had fueled an uptick in the number of tourists visiting Paris and France with 8 percent increase in July in revenue from international tourists.

AP video by Marine Lesprit

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