Although its slow rollout of vaccinations has kept France off the UK’s ‘green list’ of destinations, meaning that visitors must isolate at home for 10 days on their return, the French authorities are about to adopt a new incentive to attract foreign visitors – free tests.
Clément Beaune, Secretary of State for European Affairs, said on Sunday: “Foreign tourists who come to France will be able to take a free PCR test before returning home.” However, he did not say when the scheme will start.
He said the move was dictated entirely by financial concerns. “We want… to remain the leading European and world tourist destination. It is an economic issue.”
The exorbitant cost of PCR tests remains an important barrier to travel for many tourists, according to the UK press. In many cases, the cost of tests for a family can be much more than the cost of flights.
FILE PHOTO: Reuters
