For the first time, Atout France, the national tourism development agency, is teaming up with 13 regional tourist boards, tourism agencies and private partners across mainland France to launch a marketing campaign.

The #ExploreFrance What Really Matters campaign will run in the UK and nine other European markets.

Tourists from EU countries are able to enter France if they provide proof of a negative PCR test, but the country remains on the UK’s amber list.

Pre-Covid, France was the world’s most popular tourist destination, with 90 million annual visitors. Three-quarters of these come from within Europe, with this proportion expected to increase to 85% in 2021.

Atout France said the What Really Matters campaign was adapted to suit the current crisis.

“In particular, the campaign will showcase slow tourism, the great outdoors, culture and heritage, and lifestyle. The common theme running throughout the campaign will be more sustainable tourism,” it said.

The campaign will run throughout the summer and autumn. It will be mainly digital, targeting families, millennials and couples without children.