Economic Accessibility: Democratizing Travel

The Poverty-Tourism Gap

Millions of French citizens never experience tourism:

Exclusion Statistics - 40% never take vacations - 20% cite financial impossibility - Single parents particularly affected - Geographic disparities stark

Social Tourism Legacy France's tradition of subsidized vacations: - Holiday vouchers (Chèques-Vacances) - Social tourism villages - Subsidized children's camps - Union-negotiated programs

Affordable Tourism Infrastructure

Budget Accommodations - Youth hostels: 200 nationwide - Municipal campgrounds - Social tourism centers - Pilgrim accommodations

Free/Low-Cost Experiences - Museum free days - Public beach access - Hiking trails - City parks and gardens

Community organizer in Marseille: "We arrange day trips for families who've never left the suburbs. Seeing the sea for the first time, visiting a château—these aren't luxuries. They're rights that poverty shouldn't deny."