What Really Matters: The New Tourism Campaign by Atout France

Have you been missing trips to France? Are you tired of the armchair travel and virtual views forced on us by the pandemic lockdown? Isn’t it time to #ExploreFrance and rediscover the country you love?

The big, bold new French tourism campaign, recently announced by the Atout France tourism development agency, is tapping into this pent-up desire for travel.

France is set to reopen to international tourism starting June 9th, welcoming fully vaccinated international travelers including Americans and other non-EU nationals. To coincide with this bonne nouvelle, Atout France is launching the €10 million campaign to encourage European tourists to come to France and rediscover What Really Matters!

Prior to the pandemic, France was the most visited tourist destination in the world. But tourism has been decimated by the health crisis around the world; international arrivals in France fell by 74% last year compared to 2019, according to WTO. The health measures put in place to contain the Covid-19 pandemic have had a huge impact on the global economy, with tourism one of the most affected sectors.

Now with vaccination campaigns rapidly improving the health situation, France is gearing up to roll out the red carpet for its tourists once again. The new #ExploreFrance- What Really Matters tourism campaign aims to position France as the ideal destination for European tourists who, prior to the pandemic, represented over 75% of international visitors and are forecast to represent over 85% in 2021. Sectors to be highlighted include slow tourism, the great outdoors, culture and heritage, and lifestyle. For more information, see the video below.