Martins will meet Sri Lankan authorities and private sector tourism operators to hold talks about tourism development strategy. This visit will also be the opportunity to provide technical inputs, especially on crisis management (natural disasters), to the Sustainable Tourism Development Project under preparation supported by the World Bank and the French Agency for Development (AFD – Agence Française de Développement).
In his capacity of Deputy Mayor in Charge of Tourism, Jean-François Martins supervises the Paris Visitors Office and Convention Bureau and is in charge of setting the Paris tourism strategy, including issues related to the Eiffel Tower and hotel accommodation. As the elected official in charge of sports, he also leads the preparation of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. France is the number one tourist destination in the world, with almost 90 million foreign visitors in 2018, and Paris one of the most visited cities.