Pump Tourism: A New Travel Trend?

At the heart of Europe lies Switzerland. The country is in a privileged position as not only do residents have the glorious Swiss Alps and azure lakes to explore, amazing destinations such as Austria, France, Germany and Italy can also be easily border hopped.

But travel can also be practical, and a more mundane reason is enticing the Swiss to France this summer.

An increasing number of Geneva area residents are driving over the French border to fill up their cars due to the rising costs of fuel.

This phenomenon, which overtakes the ‘shopping tourism’ that has long seen the Genevese buying cheaper goods in border towns, has been described as ‘pump tourism’.

A litre of fuel in Geneva now costs around 2.20 francs (€2.30) compared to €1.80 in the Haute-Savoie region, so – combined with a favourable exchange rate – the extended journey is worth it to some.

However, some French politicians are not totally happy about this new tourism trend.

Politicians argue that the cheaper pump prices in France are down to the government fuel rebate of 18 cents per litre, which is ultimately funded by French taxpayers.

According to Lo?c Hervé, a senator from Haute-Savoie, that they absolutely have to give priority to French people, and should not be helping out the rich, the Swiss, and foreign tourists.?