France saw a notable rise in international air arrivals this summer, with a significant increase in visitors from countries such as Mexico, Canada, China, Japan, and the United States. According to Tourism Minister Serge Papin, this growth has been especially strong among long-haul travelers, who typically fly greater distances. Meanwhile, the majority of the French population—84%—chose to stay within the country for their holidays, even as they faced extreme heat and severe forest fires. The Climate Action Network, an international coalition of environmental organizations, has raised concerns about the government's emphasis on growing international tourism. The group argues that this focus increases air traffic, which directly contributes to global warming. Their report states that at least two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions from aviation are linked to tourist flights. In mainland France, low-cost carriers accounted for 45% of air traffic in 2025, compared to 35% in 2019. The network believes this trend makes it harder to reduce emissions and urges a shift toward promoting tourism for French and European travelers, who often use trains or buses instead of planes. The report also points out that the focus on wealthy international tourists has driven up the cost of tourism in France, making it less accessible for domestic travelers. As a result, many French residents either skip vacations altogether or take shorter trips or go abroad, where options are often more affordable. To address these issues, the Climate Action Network has proposed several measures, including halting airport expansions, ending public funding for airports and budget airlines, introducing higher taxes on international air tickets, and imposing a tax on overnight stays on tourist cruises. They also suggest improving rail connections within Europe and introducing a new metric: the carbon footprint per euro spent in tourism. Additionally, the group recommends reviving a 1936 initiative that offered subsidized train travel to all French residents. While a current program provides a 25% discount on the most expensive part of a trip, only 24,000 people used it in 2025. The NGO suggests a simpler option: a 49 euro promo code for a round-trip train ticket via SNCF connect, available once a year. This proposal would require 2 billion euros in public funding.