In general, the commercial environment in France is favorable for sales of U.S. goods and services. Marketing products and services in France is almost like marketing them in the U.S., notwithstanding some significant differences in cultural factors and legal restrictions. Ensuring that France's investment climate is attractive to foreign investors is a priority for French government officials, who see foreign investment as a way to create jobs and stimulate growth. Investment regulations are simple. In addition, there is a range of financial incentives available for foreign investors.
Foreign investment represents a significant percentage of production in many sectors.
Foreign investment has been growing at a considerably higher rate than that of the economy as a whole. There were 71 million visitors in France in 1998. Efforts to provide a better level of hospitality to tourists are taking place region by region. There are 40,000 recognized historical sights in France, as well as 40,000 religious monuments. Paris and its region remain the most visited area with a total of 18.7 million visitors in 1997.