[originaltext]France is facing potentially more than $1 billion in lost revenue

France is facing potentially more than $1 billion in lost revenue this year due to huge declines in tourism. Safety concerns have been one of the biggest reasons why the country has lost over half a billion in revenue already in the first six months of 2016. The terror attacks in Paris last November were called Europe’s worst in the past decade. Besides violence, workers’ strikes and heavy floods are said to have also been why international tourists have stayed away. So far in the Paris region, there’s been a 46% decline in Japanese visitors, 35% fewer Russians and 27% fewer Italians. American travelers seem the least affected. Their numbers have only dropped by roughly 5%. According to the French government, the country is the No. 1 tourist destination in the world, and tourism is extremely important to the French economy. The sector represents roughly 9% of its GDP. The head of Paris Tourism Board said, “It’s time to realize that the tourism sector is going through an industrial disaster.”
Questions 1 and 2 are based on the news report you have just heard.
1. What accounts most for the huge declines in tourism in France?
2. What do we learn from the report about tourism in France?