A conference on the issue of overtourism in France was held at the Sorbonne University on June 17th. Nicolas Dayot, president of the Fédération Nationale de l’Hôtellerie de Plein Air (FNHPA), attended the event and took the opportunity to express the concerns of the outdoor vacation sector.
Dayot emphasized the need to address the issue with balance: while it is undeniable that the phenomenon of tourist overcrowding exists, the FNHPA president urged not to generalize. Peaks in visitor numbers occur only in certain areas of the national territory, and it is in these areas that targeted actions must be taken. Generalized interventions aimed solely at reducing visitor numbers would be a boomerang for the sector, pushing it, warned Dayot, “towards a spiral of decline and decay“. This is a risk to avoid, given that “France more than ever needs tourism activity to ensure the economic vitality of many territories“.
However, Dayot reminded that the French Government has already moved in the right direction, seeking modern and effective solutions for managing tourist flows. Last year, Olivia Grégoire, Minister Delegate for Tourism, launched a plan (developed in collaboration with the tourism industry) based on four main pillars: understanding the phenomenon, measuring its impact through data analysis (to adopt tailored interventions for each region), raising public awareness to involve them in the strategies to be implemented, and providing financial resources to equip affected areas with the necessary technical and human resources to better manage visitor peaks.
In this context, the outdoor hospitality sector has also taken steps by implementing numerous initiatives and making legal commitments aimed at preserving landscapes, the environment, and social values.
In conclusion, Nicolas Dayot stated that the law should be a tool “to facilitate tourism development in line with national ambitions“. What must be avoided at all costs is that, under the pretext of limiting tourist influx, the law is manipulated to block qualitative improvements in establishments or even reduce their capacity. “Any self-destructive initiative must be combated,” Dayot concluded.
