France continues to be rocked by violent protests after the fatal police shooting of a French teenager during a traffic roadblock. Following volatile demonstrations, businesses in hospitality have been facing cancellations, damage and looting.
According to Thierry Max, President of the main employers’ union for the hotel and catering industry, hotels have suffered a wave of cancellations in all the territories affected by the clashes.
On Friday Max said he was receiving calls daily from hospitality industry professionals who had suffered attacks, looting and destruction of their businesses due to the protests.
"Our establishments are intrinsically hospitality venues, and sometimes even refuges and places of help in crisis situations. They must not suffer the consequences of anger that they have not aroused and we condemn these actions."
Max urged the authorities to put extra measures in place to protect businesses, resulting in the deployment of reinforced police security by the French Retail Federation (FCD) in front of businesses.
FCD MD, Jacques Creyssel, said more than a hundred medium and large food and non-food stores had been vandalised, looted or even burned.
The Organisation for Independent Hotels and Restaurants MD, Frank Trouet, fears how the media’s portrayal of the protests will affect the hospitality industry. “Will the violence and riots continue and cause a real wave of cancellations? That's the risk.”
He added that while the tourism industry had faith in tourism from neighbouring European countries, it feared the media’s representation of the protests would deter their Asian tourists.
Due to the protests, there have been delays on public transport, curfews have been established in towns close to Paris and French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a ban on all large-scale events, including celebratory events and numerous gatherings.
