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On the recent occasions I have returned to Paris, the city where I grew up, I have noticed a shift. There was once a cafe and bakery in the Trocadero, overlooking the Eiffel Tower, a place you could just walk into without a reservation to enjoy a coffee and one of the best croissants in town. Now, every time I pass by, there is a long queue of tourists waiting to be seated. A glance at the terrace shows that most are there to film themselves pouring hot chocolate and whipped cream to post on Snapchat or TikTok. This is textbook social media-driven overtourism.
While it has certainly made the owners of the cafe happy, it has destroyed the fabric of the place. Indeed, this constant rush of visitors has made it nearly impossible for the locals to sit down and enjoy a coffee and a croissant or a pain au chocolat, like I did with my family and friends when I still lived in Paris. This has deprived many like myself of a “madeleine be Proust” spot that reminds them of their younger years.
I also imagine that the familiar faces we would once see regularly and create a bond with must have all but disappeared. In that instance, I would not mind and would be quite happy to see people from across the world enjoying a nice Parisian terrace; if it were not for the fact that no one was actually drinking their delicious hot chocolate or enjoying their pastries, but only filming the moment to share on their social media accounts.
Parisians (which I consider myself to be even before being French) are a special breed and are quick to criticize. We are usually unimpressed by anything and have an indifferent attitude. Today, however, locals in most cities across Europe have started to feel resentment toward tourists, just as Parisians do. And we should not forget that tourists, too, have their frustrations with the City of Light.
Moreover, these changes have a real impact on people’s daily lives. It starts with real estate and rental prices going up due to Airbnb and other furnished rentals popping up. Small grocery stores then usually change their prices to reflect “tourist prices.” Increased traffic and footfall increase inflation due to rising demand. These countries and areas may be dependent on tourism and might have to support some changes and sacrifice some local areas. France’s tourism sector contributed a record-breaking €246 billion ($288 billion) in 2023, or 8.8 percent of gross domestic product. It accounts for nearly 2.9 million jobs.
So, tourism is not just a romantic way for foreigners to make memorable moments, but an economic necessity. Paris’ travel and tourism industry brought in nearly $36 billion in 2022 and accounts directly for 3.5 percent of the city’s economy, along with much more indirectly through supporting activities. According to L’Institut Paris Region, tourism sustains more than 300,000 jobs. It is most certainly similar for other European hubs such as London, Rome and Barcelona, which, with time and the changes in their countries’ economies, have also become highly reliant on tourism. Western capitals and landmark cities are among the world’s most visited and have become addicted to tourist inflow.
Today, locals in most cities across Europe have started to feel resentment toward tourists, just as Parisians do
Khaled Abou Zahr
It is now becoming clear that overreliance on tourism is a risk, while also being a witness to a changing world. One clear outcome is that it leaves cities vulnerable to many crises. While locals are complaining and protesting, it might not be their activities that stop the inflow of tourists, but a crisis such as a shift in travel trends, a pandemic like we witnessed just a few years ago or even a geopolitical shift with a lack of visas granted. Yet, many cities have shifted their economies to be exclusively specialized toward tourists. This makes them vulnerable. Can policymakers find a way to balance both locals’ lives and tourism’s economic importance? I have my doubts. I think that until the “hot chocolate on social media” trend passes, I will still be deprived of my favorite pain au chocolat.
The show “Emily in Paris” encapsulates a specific aspect of this dynamic and the importance of tourism for jobs. The show has been so influential that, of those who said that pop culture inspired them to visit the city, 38 percent said it was “Emily in Paris” that persuaded them. This impact even forced an intervention from the highest level of politics in France, when news emerged that the show might move its main character to Rome. Indeed, the reaction was swift and French President Emmanuel Macron publicly declared: “We will fight hard. And we will ask them to remain in Paris.”
Amid difficult times in the Middle East and rising global tensions, this is futile. However, I believe it tells a deeper story of a changing world and shifting balances of power. Global tourism is today also a barometer of how economic power is shifting. While, 50 years ago, the Western tourist represented the entire value of tourism, purchasing power is today increasingly dispersed across a broader set of nations. The rapid rise in outbound travel from countries such as China, India, Brazil and Mexico demonstrates how greater disposable incomes in these nations are reshaping the flows of international visitors.
This diversification of global purchasing power can also be seen in global geopolitical dynamics, as nations capable of generating both capital flows and outbound tourists are gaining more diplomatic and political weight globally. Europe’s increasing reliance on these markets for economic vitality has translated into a shift in their weight in terms of political affairs. It is something we are already witnessing. While decisions and political solutions used to mainly come from the West, now, just like the tourists, they come from across the world.
There is undoubtedly a deficit in the power of the West, with the clear understanding that it was economic power that allowed it to finance military power and, hence, it had diplomatic power. This equation is now proving successful for countries in many regions and the West has been welcoming their citizens as tourists, while also becoming dependent on their markets. Tourism includes not only the travelers that I have mentioned, but also students, healthcare workers and more.
Many critics of the last decade’s policies have stated that Paris, London and other European cities now represent what the countries have become: a hotel, a museum and a restaurant. They are only capable of exploiting their past greatness, symbolized by grandiose architecture and a way of life, including culinary delights. And that’s it.
While I can imagine how a foreign dignitary would have felt arriving in London at the beginning of the last century and crossing The Mall, which projected power and advancements, today it is no longer impressive. But it amazes as a historical passage that attracts tourists and needs their money to fund its maintenance. In light of this, the exclusive focus on artificial intelligence by Western powers could look like a last effort to regain their advantage. But this time they are not alone.
• Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused investment platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.