The first week of the Olympic Games saw Paris welcome 42% more tourists than in the corresponding period of last year, Visa, the official payment system for the Olympics and Paralympics, reported on Tuesday.
The number of Visa cardholders in Paris increased by 42% during the initial week of the Olympics. Other host cities also benefitted, with visitor numbers soaring by 188% in Lille, 150% in Saint-Étienne and 48% in Marseilles.
North America supplied the majority of these visitors, a 72% increase on last year, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (+62%), and the Asia-Pacific region (+57%). European nationals were also present in considerable numbers, including British (+53%) and German (+53%) visitors.
Tourists also spent more in Paris compared to the previous year. UK visitors spent 42% more, closely followed by tourists from Latin America and the Caribbean (+34%) and the United States (+32%).
Visa cardholders attending the Games splurged 20% more on average than those not in attendance, peaking at 39% for visitors from Europe (excluding France). The most significant surge in spending occurred in restaurants, which registered a 49% increase.
A Visa card was the sole official payment method at the Olympic venues, though cash was also acceptable. Other payment cards, such as competitor Mastercard, could not be used.
