Fans Appear To Be Avoiding Paris Olympics Like The Plague

The Summer Olympics in Paris start later this month, and already there are concerns that fans aren't exactly flocking to the City of Lights to take in the Games. This is causing some growing concerns for the nation's airline and hospitality industries.

Wait, so you mean to tell me that a slow-moving boat parade and threats of mass defecations in the Seine aren't making people buy airline tickets and book hotels?

The start of the Olympics is just about three weeks away, and while the excitement to watch events from around the globe is building, hotels are seeing low occupancy rates instead of the record-breaking summer that they were hoping for.

According to Euronews, occupancy rates are down 25% from last year. It's important to note that there were no Olympics in town that year.

But it's not hotels that are about to — as economists say — "lose their asses," airlines are bracing for some rough numbers too.

Some of the visitors who did choose to visit Paris take a look at the Eiffel Tower. (Photo by Magali Cohen / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP) (Photo by MAGALI COHEN/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images)

Forbes is reporting that Air France announced that it expects to lose €180 million ($193 million) this quarter because of fans saying, "Thanks, but no thanks to a trip to the games."

The irony is that it's believed people are not making plans to attend because of how crowded it'll be, but if everyone thinks that way, there won't be any crowds.

I live close to Disney World and I see this all the time. I can't tell you how many times people shy away from the parks on holidays over fears that they'll be ungodly crowded. But, because so many people think that, they end up not being too crowded, and you're free to ride the Haunted Mansion over and over and shove turkey legs in your dumb phase to your heart's content (or stoppage. Those turkey legs are salty as hell).

However, while the numbers don't look good at the moment, the Games are still expected to bring in an expected €8.9 billion ($9.6 billion) in economic impact.

I think that would still make the Games a solid investment.