'Sports tourism' is huge. But the Summer Olympics caused travel to Paris to plummet
It's a common misconception that host cities see an explosion of travelers around the Olympic Games, says OAG's Chief Analyst John Grant.
Was it the Parisians who bluntly told travelers "do not come" to the Summer Games?
Or did sky-high prices for hotel rooms, house rentals and event tickets turn travelers away?
For a multitude of reasons, many people — including residents — are avoiding Paris this summer, despite prognostications that a travel boom was all but assured.