PARIS — Paris tourism officials said last week they expect visits to hold steady this year despite a huge drop in the number of U.S. visitors — many pinched by an expensive euro, fuel surcharges on airline tickets and economic woes at home.

The number of Americans, traditionally the largest group of foreign visitors to the French capital, tumbled 20 percent in the six months until June, according to figures based on overnight hotel stays.

Paul Roll, Paris' Tourism Office director, said he expects a similar fall in the second half of the year.

The drop was compensated for by an increase in visitors from neighboring Britain, which overtook the U.S. as Paris' top foreign client in the first half. Paris has also succeeded in attracting increasing numbers of new visitors from places such as the Middle East, India, South America and Eastern Europe.

Overall, the number of visitors increased 2.2 percent to 17.3 million in the first half.

"Paris is doing well," said Jean-Claude Lesourd, president of Paris' Tourism Office. "2008 will be a very good year — as good as last year, and perhaps even better."

His optimism contrasts with the outlook for the global economy, which continues to be wobbly despite the recent fall in oil prices and the euro's retreat from record highs against the dollar.

On the streets of Paris, many North American tourists said they are feeling the pain.

Anne More, 76, visiting Paris with two friends from Naples, Fla., paid for her ticket with frequent flier miles, avoiding the fuel surcharge. But she says the expensive euro is making life difficult.

"We've had to cut back on a lot of things," she said as she admired the golden statues adorning the Palais Garnier opera.