Source: BBC
By Ben Carter
For many people the holiday season has arrived. Where do those travelling abroad go? UN figures suggest that France had more foreign visitors than any other country in 2012, while the most visited capital city is now, according to one study, Bangkok.
A recent study by the United Nations World Tourism Organization revealed that 83 million people visited La Belle France last year, even more than its population of 66 million.
The lure of Alpine ski stations and Mediterranean resorts ensure that it has kept its top spot for every year that statistics have been produced.
France attracts at least 16 million more visitors than the United States in second place, with China, Spain and Italy completing the top five most visited countries.
Yet despite its overwhelming popularity as a holiday destination it seems that the French have a problem convincing visitors to part with their cash.
Tourism contributes 7% towards the country’s gross domestic product, more than the car industry. But the average amount of money every visitor spends – US $646 (£423) – lags way behind every other country in the top 10 most visited list, bar Russia.
Visitors spend on average $1,884 (£1,230) in the US, $1,253 (£820) in Germany and $1,249 (£815) in the UK. Visitors to Macau, the south-east Asian destination known for its casinos, spend a staggering $3,213 (£2,100) each.
Some 83% of France’s visitors come from other European countries, which may explain the relatively low amount spent per head. A lot of them come from neighbouring countries and often choose to camp and buy food from supermarkets, rather than filling the coffers of hotel and restaurant owners.