The various crises experienced in recent years, climate change and the health context now lead us to rethink the models and strategies of tourism development to travel differently. This is why Paris je t’aime – Tourist Office, and the City of Paris launched the Sustainable Tourism Conference in 2021, in the midst of a health crisis. The objective? To lay the foundations for positive impact tourism and support the entire Parisian tourism ecosystem in moving towards sustainable and eco-responsible tourism.
On July 1 2021, the results of this work were presented in the presence of tourism stakeholders from Paris and several European tourist capitals.
Seven task groups, bringing together nearly 150 professionals, worked for three months to formulate concrete recommendations based on three main themes. The first, entitled "Better living in Paris", aims to better integrate tourism into the city. The aim is to encourage more local tourism, which enhances the specific characteristics of the different districts and benefits both Parisians and visitors. Several initiatives have been developed, notably to develop and highlight itineraries in collaboration with the arrondissement town halls to promote a more authentic image of Paris, as well as the improvement of signage in the city and the provision of night-time transport for tourists and residents.
The second, focused on a "Paris with a positive and sustainable impact", aims to reduce the environmental impact of tourist activities in Paris. To respond to this major challenge, the emphasis is on transportation. The task forces proposed accelerating the decarbonization of transport fleets (cars, boats, etc.), considering the creation of a zero-carbon pass, and encouraging visitors to travel by bicycle in Paris.
Finally, the objective of the last theme was to reflect on possible actions to support tourism professionals in the face of future crises. The creation of an anticipation committee to coordinate actions and have a collective predictive vision was one of the key proposals. The ambition is also to focus on employment, youth apprenticeship and training to make the tourism sector attractive. With the prospect of hosting major international events such as the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Paris must also offer its visitors a high-quality welcome, a smooth and serene experience, so that Paris becomes an even more hospitable destination, i.e., accessible, welcoming, and attentive to all publics and their needs.
An initial assessment of the Assises was carried out in July 2023, noting that more than two-thirds of the recommendations had been implemented or were in the process of being implemented.
