Fear factor hinders French tourism

The number of Chinese tourists visiting France is likely to fall sharply after Friday's terrorist attacks and is unlikely to rebound this year, travel industry sources say.

After the attacks on Friday night, China's tourism watchdog advised Chinese tourists in Paris to be cautious. Many scenic spots and shopping areas, including Eiffel Tower and Galeries Lafayette, were closed.

China's leading travel service providers, including China Youth Travel Service, Ctrip and China International Travel Service, have reported that they know that most of their clients in France are safe, and they are accommodating client requests to cancel or reschedule trips.