Emmanuel Grégoire, Deputy Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo told French media that buses full of tourists will soon become a rare sight in Paris.
"Everyone has to adapt to the new needs of the city, including the travel sector."
They drive around almost every major city in the world, the double-decker buses that allow tourists to discover all the main attractions in just a few hours. But together with the dozens of low-budget travel buses that drop off groups of tourists every day, they put a lot of pressure on the traffic junction in Paris.
The City of Light City Council is working on legislation to drastically curtail bus traffic and will introduce parking zones in the outskirts of the city where tourists can be dropped off.
Grégoire emphasizes in an article in the Nieuwsblad that it is one of the measures to reduce the inconvenience of mass tourism. France is the most visited country in the world, and the number of visitors is increasing every year. Tourists still remain 'more than welcome' in Paris, according to Grégoire, but are encouraged to walk, cycle or take public transport.
Balance between quality of life and tourism.
"We need change," it sounds. And so the tourism sector also has to adapt. Instead of bus tours, guides can also guide groups by bike or on foot, Grégoire believes. Although he has to admit that there is no alternative for the elderly or tourists who have difficulty walking.
