Guess who loves Paris the most?
Guess who loves Paris the most?
You guessed it. Americans.
Since the beginning of 2011, with more than 600,000 visitors, Americans won for most frequenting the capital, according to the Office de Tourisme de Paris.
It seems that nothing stops the tourists from coming to Paris — not war, nor economic disasters, nor natural disasters. Tourism is up by a whopping 3.5% for the first half of the year over last year. And the occupancy rate of hotels was the best recorded in the last 10 years with 78.3% and the average price of a hotel room increased 7.8% since 2007 to 158.70€.
The Chinese are giving the Americans a run for their money with 64,000 visitors, but stayed outside of the city. Tourists from Latin America, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Chile rose to 350,000 and those from the Near and Middle East rose to more than 121,000. Other Europeans including Russians and Eastern Europeans are up to well over half a million visitors.
Those who love Paris a little less? Germans for some, along with the Spanish, the Italians and the British are visiting Paris a little less, but the Dutch, the Belgians and the Swiss are coming by the busloads compared to the past.
Meanwhile, the rate of exchange has been a lot more favorable toward the dollar and that means the greenbacks are going to stretch a lot further next time you come to the City of Light (1€ = $1.37).
And guess what?
Thanks to changing capital gains tax laws, between now and February 1, there will be a lot of property suddenly on the market and that means bargains are to be had. That also means that it’s a great time to invest in a revenue-generating property — why should the hotels get all the business? (Read more about this in tomorrow’s French Property Insider If you are not already a subscriber, be sure to add your email address now on the left panel of any page on the AdrianLeeds.com Web site.)
I’m also going to be speaking about this at a free “Residential Property Investing Seminar” on Tuesday, October 11th from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. sponsored by BNP Paribas Investment Partners. (Scroll down for more information an to register to attend.)
More news (sorry, but this is just a bit of blowing our own horn): Le Palace des Vosges (Le Palace des Vosges), our very own fractional ownership property in La Place des Vosges, will be the backdrop for filming ‘yours truly’ by Eurocinema On Demand and Seductively French in the production of lifestyle segments celebrating the European way of life designed to reach 36 million U.S. and Canadian television homes beginning December 2011 as well as airing in China on Metan Development Group’s Hello! with half a billion viewers.
Guess they love Paris, too.
Do you love Paris? Do you know why you do? Tell us in 25 words of less. Email I Love Paris Because…
A la prochaine…
Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris
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P.S. BTW, there are still a few shares left if you want to have the pleasure of owning a piece of such a fashionable property! Visit Le Palace des Vosges for more information.
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