From France to Italy, what protests mean for Europe’s $187 billion winter tourism industry ahead of the Christmas and New Year season | Today’s news
France is in the midst of a massive wave of protests sparked by growing public discontent with rising living costs, unaffordable housing, stagnant wages and rising energy costs. According to French authorities, around 410,000 protesters marched across the country in the latest wave of demonstrations.
While the initial rallies were relatively peaceful, serious clashes broke out in Paris late Saturday night. Riot police deployed tear gas and water cannons against the crowds to restore order as security forces converged across the country to prevent a repeat of the recent violence.
Violence in France
Violence and confrontations with police spread to several major regional centres, including Lyon, Lille, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse.
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
Continued unrest could cause travelers to hesitate, disrupt traffic and lead to hotel cancellations and museum closures. The impact on tourism will depend in part on how long the protests continue.
The winter tourist season in Europe runs from December to March, including the Christmas and New Year period.
The market is expected to reach around $187 billion in 2026. The articles do not quantify how much of the overall market could be affected by the protests.
Yes. Reports cited in the articles put cancellations of hotel reservations at around 10%, while the Louvre and other cultural sites were temporarily closed during the demonstrations.
Travelers are advised to follow official updates, avoid protest gatherings and crowded areas, and check with airlines or travel agencies about changes to traffic and timetables.
Read also | Protests in France: More than 4 million people march against inequality in Paris
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Sunday that nearly 1,000 people had been arrested in connection with the protests, which have turned violent in some places.
Protests across Europe
While France has grabbed the headlines the most, several other European countries are also facing similar protests. This includes Italy. Albania, Belgium, Portugal and Spain, where protesters are taking to the streets over similar grievances – rising costs of living, low wages and more.
The protests come at the worst possible time for Europe, as the winter tourist season is just around the corner. The European winter tourist season runs from December to March, and millions of tourists from around the world flock to cities across the continent for their iconic Christmas and New Year celebrations.
European winter tourist season
According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, winter tourism in Europe is experiencing a structural shift in demand. The European winter tourism market is expected to expand from $179.28 billion in 2025 and $186.99 billion in 2026 to $232.68 billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 4.47% between 2026 and 2031.
Read also | France protest: Louvre closes, hotel bookings drop as demonstrations continue
France is the overall most visited country in the world during the winter season, with more than 102 million visitors a year. But if the ongoing wave of unrest continues, it could hamper the upcoming tourist season. Although no travel disruptions were announced, the clashes prompted international travel warnings, falling hotel bookings and targeted museum closures.
Countries issue travel advisories
Last week, the Indian Embassy in France asked travelers from the country to follow official updates and check for traffic disruptions. She advised those planning to travel to or within France to stay in touch with their airlines and travel agents for information on flight schedule changes.
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Countries including Thailand, Malaysia and China have also issued travel advisories for their citizens to France.
Hotel bookings have decreased
According to French news site Le Parisien, around 10 percent of hotel reservations have been canceled due to the ongoing protests, and there are fears that number could rise if the violence continues.
“The new excesses, which are widely reported in the foreign press, would intensify this phenomenon,” Frank Delvau, president of the UMIH hospitality department in Paris Île-de-France, told Le Parisien.
