Nathalie Delattre, Minister Delegate for Tourism of France, who visited Japan to attend France National Day of Osaka Kansai EXPO 2025, said at an interview with Travel Voice and other tourism media that France will maintain the No.1 tourism country in the world for 2030. France welcomed more than 100 million international visitors and earned 74 billion Euro from them in 2024.
Delattre revealed that the growth trend of international visitors has continued in 2025, as she explained the number for the first half of 2025 is expected to increase by 8% year on year.
Delattre mentioned ‘sustainability,’ ‘inclusivity’ and ‘innovation’ as key drivers for the further growth.
For sustainability, France is trying to decentralize international tourists from Paris to local regions and also to diversify seasonal demands to seek better-balanced and sustainable tourism. She recognized that over-tourism does not happen in France except part of popular tourism site in Paris, but she said that preventive measures, such as visitor control or introduction of new tourist destinations, are taken to avoid overcrowding.
In terms of environment, France is trying to improve life infrastructures, such as water supply or garbage disposal, to keep a balance between residents’ lives and tourists’ activities, in addition to decarbonization.
For inclusivity, Delattre emphasized that France will be a country for everyone,, including disability persons, to be able to travel. In addition, she introduced the France’s original support programs, such as vacation voucher program in cooperation with private companies for people who cannot take a vacation for a financial reason, revival of a vacation program for young people or a support program for single-mother or father families in partnership with NPOs.
For innovation, Delattre said that France is considering policies to support AI-based tourism solutions for seamless travel or tourist management and also to promote support programs for travel-tech startups.
Minister Delattre visited Hiroshima, too.
New experiences to Japanese travelers
Delattre expressed her high expectation to growth of the tourism exchanges between France and Japan, saying that Japan and France share common values in terms of history, culture, gastronomy or craftsmanship.
As Japanese travelers to France have been recovering to the pre-pandemic level, she said that it is important to introduce them new destinations and experiences to meet diversified needs.
Delattre expected that Osaka Kansai EXPO France Pavilion motives Japanese people to visit France, citing a giant ‘Princess Mononoke’ tapestry that is displayed in the Pavilion.
A giant ‘Princess Mononoke’ tapestry in France Pavilion
