France protest: Louvre to close, hotel bookings down; foreign tourists are beginning to hesitate as demonstrations continue | Today’s news
France continues nationwide demonstrations after a student-led movement that began last month over teacher shortages, underfunding for education and deteriorating school conditions widened to include anger over the government’s handling of the high cost of living. As protesters press their demands, the country is experiencing severe disruption to travel, with the tourism sector fearing a drop in both domestic and international visitors.
According to The Telegraph, around 10% of hotel bookings have been canceled, with fears that number could rise further as tourists hesitated to stay in the capital and risk getting caught up in riots as looters ransacked shops in Paris and other cities.
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France sees tourism disruption amid protests: Everything you need to know
According to Euronews, images of the riots in France are being broadcast around the world, causing concern among tourism professionals, with the initial effects already showing in hotel bookings. People in the sector also fear that the situation will worsen if the demonstrations and violence continue.
Euronews, citing MKG Consulting, said the first effects are starting to show as Paris hotels report a drop in bookings for the next six weeks. Between October 19 and 20, the year-on-year lead over 2025 narrowed sharply from 1 percentage point to 0.2 points for stays planned for October 20-29, and from 3.5 points to 1.9 points for stays planned for October 20-25.
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According to some experts in the sector, if the protests last a week or two, the impact of the drop in foreign visitors is likely to be minimal or bearable; however, if months continue, it will become a disaster.
The United States, Germany and China have urged their citizens to monitor developments and take precautions when traveling to France, while Thailand and Malaysia advise against all but essential travel to the country.
Protests in France are disrupting domestic tourism as museums close this week
According to The Times of London, travelers visiting Paris this week have been advised to avoid popular protest gathering spots, including Place de la République, Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation, along with major arteries such as Boulevard Voltaire, which are often used for demonstrations.
Separately, the Louvre, one of the world’s most famous museums, remained closed on Saturday (local time) ahead of planned demonstrations, turning away both domestic visitors and tourists. The Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Picasso museum and the Grand Palais were all closed on Saturday as French officials prepared for another weekend of potentially violent demonstrations, according to the AP.
According to AFP, protesters from the École du Louvre blocked the entrances to the museum’s glass pyramid, Carrousel du Louvre and Passage Richelieu on Monday morning, preventing arriving visitors from entering. The blockade prompted museum officials to turn away visitors from the popular site, which draws more than 20,000 people on its busiest days.
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India issued a security advisory during the protests
As nationwide protests continued across France, with violent mobs looting and damaging more than 3,000 businesses across the country, the Indian Embassy in France issued a security advisory. In a post on X, the embassy wrote: “In light of recent developments and localized curfews imposed in France, please remain vigilant and exercise appropriate caution. Please avoid large gatherings and crowded areas where protests are taking place and follow the instructions and advice issued by local French authorities.”
With museum closures and hotel cancellations already affecting tourism, the industry’s outlook will depend on how long the unrest continues.
