France: Paris hoteliers on reopening post-pandemic

Paris has rediscovered itself, and its joie de vivre, as its cafes and restaurants have been given the right to fully reopen this week for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic forced them to close their doors March 14.

However, though the France on Monday threw open its borders to other European countries, along with several of its neighbors, Paris is not likely to see the normal deluge of international tourists this summer.

Tourists from the U.S., Asia and other continents won't be allowed back until at least July 1, and French authorities could re-impose restrictions in the case of a new wave of virus infections.

The Paris Tourism board has been promoting the French capital as a summer destination, in hopes of luring visitors back.

Serge Cachan presides over the Astotel Group which holds 17 mid-range hotels on Paris' Right Bank.

He opened his first one Monday, the 34B, to his first guest exactly three months after closing of all of his hotels after the lockdown was announced in France.

Replicating protective measures established in shops worldwide to halt the virus from spreading, Cachan has had the reservations desks shielded by plexiglass.

Hand gel dispensers are placed at strategic areas around the lobby and colored arrows direct clients where to stand and where to avoid in order to maintain social distancing.

Cachan estimates the Astotel Group's immediate losses in the millions this year due to the Covid crisis but he has now reopened the first of his hotels in order to get some of his employees back to work slowly and restart the machine.

He hopes to open all of them by September though he has no illusions that there will be massive bookings in the immediate term.

For this hotel president, there is a European tourism battle underway in which each country is doing their best to attract the others as nations across Europe emerge from their lockdowns and look forward to summer vacations.

Cachan realizes that after getting out of lockdown, tourists will probably gravitate to open beaches and country settings.

Nonetheless, he credits President Emmanuel Macron's government with reopening French restaurants, a move he deems critical in clawing back the tourists.

With restaurants back open, Cachan says it is time to reactivate Paris' major tourist attractions including the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.

Once those reopen, Paris can slowly hope to recapture tourists for what will likely be a very weak summer season for those in the tourism industry.