Tourismophobia as a challenge to sustainable tourism development in Paris

Paris faces the challenge of balancing its popularity with the need to protect its cultural heritage, infrastructure and local residents’ quality of life, while
implementing sustainable tourism policies. High tourist concentrations in the city centre constantly increase pressure on public spaces and potentially leading to local resentment which is referred to as tourismophobia. A balanced tourism strategy is essential to address this serious issue. Diversifying the tourism offer in nearby destinations, maintaining high-quality service standards and redirecting rising visitor flows to nearby regions, such as the Loire Valley,
Versailles, Giverny, Fontainebleau in order to ease pressure on the central areas in Paris while supporting local economies. Active government support with
strong public-private partnerships and, more importantly, community involvement guarantee success. Paris has a potential to preserve its heritage through promoting regional growth and therefore serves as a model for sustainable urban tourism.