France and Spain Stay Hopeful and Agile as Global Tourism's Titans
Photo Credit: At Skift Forum Europe in March 2022 in London, Caroline Leboucher (left) spoke with Miguel Sanz and Lebawit Lily Girma about French and Spanish tourism. Source: Skift. Skift / Russell Harper Photography
Skift Take
Some international travelers have been reconsidering their planned trips this year, even to countries safely far from the Ukraine war. Tourism leaders in France and Spain have been reacting in innovative and nimble ways.
Western Europe's tourism recovery hiccuped in late February and early March because some travelers developed concerns about booking vacations while a war rages in Ukraine.
"It's a terrible war that may hold back cautious American tourists, and it has been disrupting travelers even more from Japan and other parts of Asia," said Miguel Sanz, CEO of tourism promotion agency TourSpain/Turespaña.
Responding to the challenge will test French and Spanish tourism organizations, which have been repositioning themselves to
