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Games: Air France says Paris is “lagging behind other major European cities” this summer
Air France has warned it will take £150m in cuts as tourists avoid Paris for the Olympics.
The airline group said the French capital was “lagging behind other major European cities” this summer, despite being the host city of the Games.
“International markets are showing a marked tendency to avoid Paris,” said a spokesman for the company. The Olympics will mean a loss of between 135 and 150 million pounds in the group’s revenues between June and August.
Tourists seem to be postponing their trips until after the games or going elsewhere.
“Travel is expected to normalise after the Olympics, with encouraging demand levels projected for late August,” the spokesperson added.
The Olympic Games will be held between July 26 and August 11. And despite the impact on revenue, the company will not reduce its flights.
But the grim update comes as rail group Eurostar predicts this summer’s peak travel period, which coincides with the Games, will be its busiest ever.
Air France’s warning contrasts with the 2012 London Olympics, which saw a surge in tourist numbers.
Bernstein analyst Alex Irving said that while airlines can expect business travel to decline during the Olympics, the drop in overall tourism is “surprising.”
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