Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said a decision banning tourist buses from entering the city is about to be issued, as he believes they cause total chaos, adding that a plan is being drawn up to stop bus movement while providing parking areas outside the city.
According to his statements reported by CNN, Grégoire said buses are no longer welcome in the heart of the city, stressing that this measure is one step within a set of initiatives designed to mitigate the impact of increasing tourist traffic on the French capital. He believes Parisians are worried about the problems resulting from overcrowding, as happened in the Spanish city of Barcelona.
He stressed that Paris will remain open to mass tourism, and that tourists can use public transport or environmentally friendly means of transport instead of buses, pointing to the efforts the city has made to provide many services, most notably free public toilets.
Although the restrictions on buses may make life more difficult for tour guides, the Deputy Mayor of Paris believes they must adapt and organise tours by bicycle or on foot, saying: "Everyone has to adapt their business to the needs of the city."
On the other hand, Grégoire expressed concerns about the rising cost of housing in Paris due to tourism, partly blaming Airbnb, which provides accommodation for tourists.
