Tourism scores over Islamophobia in Paris

A Muslim holds a placard reading "terrorism is not Islam" in France.

PARIS: If you visit Champs-Élysées boulevard in Paris, you will feel you are in one of the major Arab cities due to the high number of Arab residents and tourists there. Paris is one of the best cities blended with different civilizations.
People from different countries and religions visit Paris and play a pivotal role in its economy. The workers in hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and other stores are polite and deal with foreign tourists, especially Arabs, with a smile.
Al-Haj Mohammed, an Algerian with French nationality who works as taxi driver, advises Arab tourists to avoid venturing out of Paris.
According to him, several small towns in France still cannot smile when they see Arabs and Muslims due to the terrorist attacks in the country a few months ago. Moreover, they have no economic interests like Paris, he said.
"The good thing is that the French people have been living with Arabs for ages. They also know that they cannot expel us from the country because Muslims have played positive role to revive the country's economy. However, there are people who are racist and anti-Islam, but they are helpless," he told Arab News.
France has witnessed several terrorist attacks, claimed by Daesh. But these attacks did not destabilize the social and economic life, while the French government took strict security measures against terrorists.
When you go to Paris and take a round in one of the crowded streets, you will feel nothing has happened in the city. The Parisian life is still going normal.
Sanaa Mustafa, a Moroccan working in a restaurant, said she has French nationality and the government is obliged to deal with all nationals equally. "I don't think the government would take measures against the Arab community members who have French nationality. I have spent 12 years in France," she said
"Some French people have no problems with others from different civilizations. However, most Parisians used to deal daily with citizens who came from the Arab world due to economic interests.
My employer allowed me to work at this restaurant to receive Arab tourists who don't speak French. Arab workers in restaurants and cafes can attract more Arab tourists. Hence, it is easy to work in the tourism sector in Paris," she added.
Despite Islamophobia in France, Arab tourists mean more money, which cannot be ignored. The French government knows the importance of tourists in reviving the economy of the country.
The number of foreign tourists fell sharply in France in the second quarter of the year because of street protests, poor weather and November's terrorist attacks.
A rebound in the number of tourists during the summer is unlikely, after 85 people were killed in Nice when a gunman drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day on July 14. The attack, which was claimed by Daesh, prompted a wave of cancellations by tourists. The number of stays in France by foreign tourists fell by 8.5 percent in the three months (till end-June) compared to the same period a year ago. Internal tourism also dropped by 2.9 percent, according to news agencies.
Assem Al-Bidawai, A Morrocan working as a tourist guide in Paris, told Arab News that France does not want to see a decline in the number of tourists.
"The Arab tourists, especially who come from the Gulf, form a huge number. The French government knows very well that Islamophobia will affect the economy. Economic interest can resist Islamophobia and the negative impacts of the terrorist attack," he said.