October 26th 2024.
There are some people who are feeling a bit displeased about a potential change in the pricing structure for visiting popular attractions in France. This is not an uncommon practice, as other countries have similar systems in place.
Many of us love to take a quick trip to a bustling city, and one of the best things about it is the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the local culture. However, for British tourists, some of the most iconic landmarks in France may soon come with a higher price tag.
Rachida Dati, the culture minister of France, has proposed adding a surcharge to tickets for the Louvre Museum for non-EU nationals. This famous museum, which houses the renowned Mona Lisa, receives millions of visitors every year. Currently, tickets cost €22, but the new fee of around €5 (or £4.20) would be implemented in 2026. This additional charge may also extend to other popular sites such as Versailles and the Musée d’Orsay.
Dati has stated that the purpose of this surcharge is to help fund the upkeep and preservation of France’s cultural heritage. In an interview with Le Figaro, she explained, “I want visitors from outside the EU to pay more for their entrance ticket and for this supplement to finance the renovation of the national heritage.” It should be noted that the current price of €22 is already equivalent to £18.
Naturally, this proposed change has sparked some backlash from people, including Labour MP Christ Bryant, who took to social media to express his disapproval. He pointed out that the British Museum and National Gallery in London are free for all to visit, and sarcastically added, “You’re welcome.” However, Dati argues that it is unfair for French citizens to foot the bill for these sites that attract tourists from all over the world. She stated, “Is it normal for a French visitor to pay the same price for entry to the Louvre as a Brazilian or Chinese visitor? The French people should not have to pay for everything on their own.”
It is worth noting that this is not an isolated practice. In many countries, tourists are expected to pay more for certain attractions than locals. For example, in Istanbul, foreigners are charged four times the entrance fee for the Basilica Cistern compared to locals. Similar discrepancies can be found in other popular destinations, such as the Taj Mahal in India.
In addition to these individual fees, some countries have also implemented a daily tourist tax to combat overtourism. This includes cities like Venice, Barcelona, and Lake Como, which have all recently increased their fees. Italy has also announced an increase in the number of days that visitors to Venice will have to pay to enter the city, while Greece has implemented a higher fee for tourists visiting popular islands like Mykonos and Santorini.
Even Portugal has joined in on this trend, with the city of Porto raising their daily tourist charge by 50% to help fund various aspects of the city, including culture, heritage, and the environment. The capital city of Lisbon has already put a similar system in place.
As for Paris, the potential surcharge at the Louvre has raised concerns among the staff about the logistics of checking the nationality of each visitor. It remains to be seen how this will be managed. In the meantime, if you have any stories or thoughts on this matter, feel free to share them by emailing us.
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