The number of visitors for tourism and business purposes decreased from an average of about 50 million to about 17.5 million, and the sector’s revenues decreased to 6.4 billion euros from 22 billion in 2019 last year.
The strict restrictions imposed by the coronavirus epidemic have virtually eliminated expatriates. During the summer season, from July to August, German tourists accounted for 18 percent of the largest group of visitors. The second largest group of tourists came from Britain, the third from the Dutch, then the Belgians and Italians.
The most popular tourist destinations, such as the Palace of Versailles or the Musée d’Orsay, also suffered huge traffic losses. The museums closed for 140 days last year, resulting in a 72 percent drop in visitors to the Louvre and a 76 percent drop in sales to Versailles compared to 2019.
Most hotels were forced to close between mid-March and late May and late October due to the lack of business and leisure travelers. In the entire last year, guest nights in the Paris region were 68% lower than in 2019. The volume of rental apartment sales is down 55%. The driver behind the dropout rate for international travelers was mainly traffic in downtown Paris and luxury hotels.
Cover photo: Getty Images
