There are stories all over the Internet about France being the top tourists destination in the world in 2006, but very little information beyond that.
Ah, viva la France. Once again, the Western European country has been named the top tourist destination in the world in terms of foreign traveler visits. About 78 million people made it to France, which is pretty amazing considering only 60 million people actually live in France.
This is one of those stories that I think is very interesting ... or could be. There were numerous stories on the Web which stated that France drew the most visitors ... but try finding a story that mentioned the number two spot (I finally did, it’s Spain), or number three (nope, couldn’t find that one ... I think it may have been the U.S.).
The point is, obviously the Tourism Ministry in France sent out a press release saying they were No. 1 and then that was it.
A few of the stories also mentioned that the Languedoc-Roussilon region was popular, but nothing about why. Seriously, would it have been that difficult to tell us what all those tourists were doing in that region? I mean, this isn’t the Cote d’Azur where the sun seekers flock or the French Alps where winter enthusiasts dream of vacationing. It certainly isn’t Paris or even Lourdes. So, what is the draw to the Languedoc-Roussilion region?
OK, I realize I’m a travel writer and editor and I probably read way too much into these things, but these are outlets like CNN, Reuters and USA Today. I guess I just expected a little more.
Now, as a person who has chosen to spend a significant amount of time in France, I completely understand the draw. France doesn’t just have tourist sites: Almost everything in France is a tourist attraction. There is literally layer upon layer of history and I’m continually finding interesting spots that don’t even make it into the “guide books” simply because there are too many other attractions.
I suppose my ability to spend a lot of time in France is a blessing. Maybe I’ll take a trip to the Languedoc-Roussilon region to figure out what the draw is there, and I'll be happy to tell you all about it.
