The problem with France

Visitors to France topped 70 million in 2007, but can the country hold on to its tourism lustre amid economic turmoil? Alicia Buller investigates.

Thousands danced late into the night when French president Nicolas Sarkozy defeated the socialists in 2007, with 53% of the vote. "Together we are going to write a new page of history," the victor told his supporters.

Sarkozy - they said - was a man built for righting a decade of government corruption and economic torpor.

One year on, opinion is divided as to whether the president really possesses the clout to materialise his grand visions, but most agree that he represents the last - though perhaps not the best - opportunity for France to enter the 21st century.

As the new world order gears up to shift and settle, time, quite simply, is running out. The president himself admits that there is still much to be done.

And while his enemies are quick to blame his whirlwind-romance with pop singer/model Carla Bruni for his hit-and-miss performance to date, the fast-talking president prefers to blame rising oil prices and the worldwide credit crisis.

In typically rousing style, Sarkozy claimed on live TV that the roots of France's problems are "people don't work hard enough" and the country has "been asleep for the past 25 years".

The official figures suggest the same. A quarter of the under 26s in France are without work, those that do work enjoy a 35-hour week and, among those aged 60-64, only about one in six have jobs - the comparable figure in the US is one in two.

And in a recent survey, where various countries were asked how they rated capitalism, three quarters of the Chinese said it was the best economic system for the future. Of the French, only a third agreed.

There was a time when the French bestrode the planet like kings, exporting everything from their language to their culture. And in the 60s, 70s and 80s it was once again the envy of the world.

The French had sophistication and splendid food and wine, while all Britain could offer in the 70s was tinned Spam and mushy peas.

But today, for all its talk of equality, fraternity and liberty, France is now in the midst of a deep and growing divide between its citizens; those who look into the future and see only fear and those who believe and hope that France can change.

"The French can't understand what's happened," writes Paris-dwelling American art historian Eunice Lipton in her book, French Seduction.

"They used to have the best country in the world. Now you can't get a DSL line installed in less than three weeks or a new chip for your cell phone in less than two.

They never noticed things like this before or cared, but now they know it's faster in London or the United States or Germany. Or India! France is falling behind.

What's more, the IMF cut its forecast for GDP growth in France to just 1.4% for 2008, while the country dropped three places to 18 in the 2007-2008 World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report.

But one area where France remains top dog is tourism. The country is the most visited place on earth. Although official statistics for 2007 are not yet available, the French Government Tourist Office initial figures show an increase of 2.6% to 80 million tourists annually.

Newly appointed French tourism minister Monsieur Hervé Novelli is set to unveil a large-scale global marketing campaign for the country mid-June; a clear sign that the president is anxious not let the laissez faire attitude that damaged the country's economy spoil its tourism.

"France still needs to renew its image and the minister is preparing to unveil its strategy [in this respect]," says Thierry Baudier, general director of French tourism agency, Maison de la France.

"We want to project the image of a more ‘on-the-move' country - to make France a more fashionable place to visit - a bit like London did successfully some years ago now,"

The theme, he adds, is ‘France 2020', reflecting the French Government's commitment to working on long-term goals for the tourism industry. He hopes the minister will commit to a worldwide campaign on par with those put forward by Malaysia - ‘Malaysia, truly Asia' and India - ‘Incredible India'.

"We need to create France the brand," he says. "France is very much the journey of a lifetime but the point is that it might not be next year," he explained.