paris luxury hotel boom

Tourists are flocking back to Paris after two lean years, according to a report by the French capital’s main tourism body. Despite continuing economic crisis, strikes and the Icelandic ash cloud, hotel bookings rose six per cent in 2010, not far from the record level of 2007.

The years 2008 and 2009 saw a fall in visitors to Paris and the surrounding region but since March they have started to return, according to a report by the Paris and Ile de France tourist authority.







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Figures covering the first 11 months of the year show recovery, although there was a dip in April, when the Icelandic volcanobrought international air travel to a standstill, and in October, when strikes hit public transport and other utilities.

Three and four-star hotels led the recovery, the study shows, with a new trend showing wealthy customers from developing economies indulging in the luxury of the City of Light.

Nouveaux riches from China, Brazil, Russia and the Middle East are proving an important market, with some top hotels and restaurants taking on staff who speak their languages, as they previously did for the Japanese who flock to the city in their thousands.

But, while the number of foreign visitors has risen four per cent, 50 per cent of visitors to the region are from the French provinces. Their number went up by nine per cent.

The British have proved the biggest disappointment – their numbers have continued a decline which started with the onset of the economic crisis in 2008.

And December is likely to yield poor figures, thanks to snow and ice closing airports and causing transport chaos.

Another threat to the recovery could be rising prices.

Luxury hotels are principally responsible for price hikes of between, two and six per cent. If you’re looking for cheap lodgings, you’ll have to book a two-star outside the city itself. They have kept their prices stable.

PARIS LUXURY HOTELS

 
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