Tourist Buses To Be Banned In Paris

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The local government of Paris, France, is planning to ban tourist buses from entering the city center because of over-tourism concerns.

The buses crisscross Paris’s city center every day to transport tourists to major landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum. With the bus ban, buses will no longer be allowed to take their usual routes and can only drive up to designated parking areas on the outskirts of the city.

For tourists, the bus crackdown means that they will have to walk, cycle, or take public transport from parking areas to the city center. Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire acknowledges that this will be a difficult change for tour guides but said that they must adapt. Instead of bus tours, he urged tour companies and travel operators to do bicycle or walking tours with headphones.

Grégoire added that the ban will make it easier for local authorities to control traffic and to offer other transportation methods like rented bicycles and electric scooters.

The bus ban is part of the local government’s initiative to nip over-tourism in the bud. Paris residents have been complaining about the noise, pollution, and traffic brought about by tour buses. Although over-tourism in Paris is not as bad as in other European cities, Grégoire said he wants to curb it now.

Tourists responded with displeasure following the announcement of the ban. They said that bus tours are convenient, especially for older tourists and those who only have a little time in the city. Some tour companies and travel operators also opposed the ban, saying that it would discourage tourists from visiting Paris.