The Sacré-Cœur Basilica is reflected in a taxi windshield on Montmartre hill, Paris, August 1, 2025. DIMITAR DILKOFF / AFP
Tourism in France has proven resilient in the face of economic crises. The sector, which accounts for 8% of the country's gross domestic product, continued to grow in 2025, "particularly in Paris, along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts and in the mountains," explained Dominique Marcel, the president of Alliance France Tourisme (a group that represents major stakeholders in the French tourism industry). According to a presentation of the 2025 annual report on Wednesday, January 7, the French capital benefited from these favorable conditions and the allure of the Olympic Games: Tourist numbers rose by nearly 3% compared to 2024, according to the Paris Office of Tourism.
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More broadly, the sector benefited from the robust health of global tourism, which has so far withstood international turmoil. In North and South America, in the Middle East and in Asia, a new, affluent middle class has shown a keen appetite for travel to Europe, especially to France.
