INTERVIEW
While the effects of the coronavirus epidemic are being felt in many sectors around the world, Bercy takes stock on Friday morning of its economic consequences in France. Yohann Petiot, director general of the merchants' alliance, was the guest of Europe 1 to explain what he expects from this meeting. If it is "too early to draw a complete assessment", he is convinced that the crisis will have "a heavy impact on all the players in tourism".
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30 billion losses in the aviation sector
Coronavirus is estimated to cost the airline industry $ 30 billion this year. International tourism is severely hampered, which penalizes all of the economic players in the sector, "in particular businesses that welcome a large international clientele", explains Yohann Petiot. "It has been estimated since the start of the crisis that the number of Chinese customers has dropped on average by 70% in tourist areas." An edifying figure, especially since the Chinese are one of the international customers who spend the most, with four billion euros each year in France. About two million people visit the country every year.
So what to expect from the meeting?
"We expect information and visibility first and foremost," says the director of the merchant alliance. "In these crises, a lot is said, unverified information circulates. These concerns must be reassured, any disproportionate reaction that could have a serious social and economic impact must be reassured. Information must be created without creating psychosis," concludes Yohann Petiot.