Heidi Genoist

If Paris Is Yours, What Isn’t?
July 30, 2007

You may have heard about July 9, or, as it shall henceforth be known, Paris Tourist Day.

Acknowledging a perceived lack of civility among residents and service workers who come into contact with tourists, Paris Mayor Bernard Delanoe proclaimed that for 24 hours, everyone – including the tourists – would play nice.

The Paris Tourism Office littered the city with brochures instructing cabbies, waiters, bellmen and others to be friendly when greeting visitors. Tourist board staffers could be seen around the City of Lights’ famous sites wearing orange T-shirts that read, “Paris est à vous” (“Paris is yours”).

Comedic value of the campaign notwithstanding, the initiative is a lesson in savoir faire for anybody involved in the hospitality business – including tradeshow planners and suppliers.

My fellow editors Michael Hart and Rachel Wimberly, as well as our publisher Adam Schaffer, have all written columns over the last couple years worrying that slipping civility – coupled with rising prices – in the travel and hospitality industry by those who are conventioneers’ first point of contact on a trip have an irrevocable effect on destinations’ (or hotel chains’, or airlines’) reputations. It’s all simply bad for the tradeshow business.

The Paris campaign indicates the message is being heard around the world. When an international city that has the reputation for being one of the least tourist-friendly, yet most visited, begins taking some responsibility, how could anyone else deny there’s a problem?

In my mind, it’s fitting that the French should lead the way back to more courteous times. Sure, in modern days they’ve become easy targets, what with their Peter Sellers accents and old-fashioned ideals. But if someone’s going to reinstate good manners and civility, who more appropriate to do so than the country that gave us wine, chivalry and the kiss-kiss hello?

After all, if you have to be stuck in an hour-long queue, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have someone in an orange T-shirt come by with a smile and a glass of Perrier – or better yet, Bordeaux.

Posted by Heidi Genoist on July 30, 2007 | Comments (0)