Violent protests in France damage country's perception of security

13-07-23

• Major French cities, such as Marseille and Lyon, experienced significant declines.

• The Security Perception Index decreased six points in Paris, which will host the 2024 Olympic Games.

As a result of two episodes of unrest this year, France's Security Perception Index dropped two points in March and five points in July, making it the Central European country with the lowest Security Perception Index.

Mabrian Technologies, the leading tourism intelligence company, reports that the recent unrest in France has caused a significant decline in the Security Perception Index, dropping five points in just one week. This drop represents the lowest level since early 2023.

France has experienced two waves of violent protests this year. Following incidents related to pension reform demonstrations, the Security Perception Index dropped two points in the second half of March. 

Then, during the last week, the new wave of riots severely damaged the country's security image, dropping five points. France now ranks as the European country with the lowest Security Perception Index among its neighbouring countries. It is 7 points behind the Netherlands, 6 points behind Italy, 4 points behind Spain and 3 points behind the UK.

The decline in the Safety Perception Index has affected all major French cities. 

Marseille has dropped 47 points in the last week, followed by Lyon with a loss of 19 points and Nice with a drop of 8 points. Even Paris, which is not the city most affected by the decline, experienced a drop of 6 points in the Security Perception Index, one point above the national average.

The current situation is worrying as Paris is scheduled to host the 2024 Olympic Games. The prevailing instability and lack of confidence among travellers could have a significant impact on the success of the event.

Carlos Cendra, Partner and Marketing Director at Mabrian, says: "It is very important to know and monitor the perception of security that a tourist destination generates among its visitors and potential travellers. This aspect is undoubtedly the first consideration for travellers when deciding whether or not to visit a place. 

In the case of France, the accumulation of different episodes in a short period of time can have a significant impact on perceptions by projecting a continuous image of instability. However, it is essential to analyse the perception of security in each market separately, as each case will be different and will require specific measures to restore confidence.

Mabrian, a leading provider of tourism intelligence, has been calculating the Safety Perception Index for destinations around the world for over 8 years. Using active listening on social media platforms and leveraging Artificial Intelligence, Mabrian analyses sentiment to create this indicator.

In addition to analysing tourist behaviour and perception, Mabrian analyses all data that can be used to understand and predict tourism trends in destinations, including flights, accommodation, spending, mobility, among others. These indices provide comprehensive information for destinations to make informed decisions and improve their competitive advantage.