Tourism Not Affected By Notre Dame Blaze

The heartbreaking destruction of the city's heart will have significant effects, but tourists will still flock to city

The tragic destruction of art and heritage in the fire at Notre Dame is not only heartbreaking for the city but will also impact the tourist industry across the city.

While it is still too early to say the true impact of the fire, it has been suggested that it will significantly distort visitor patterns in the city’s tourist industry. The average 36,000 daily visitors who spend two or three hours at the landmark will now go to other attractions during their trip.

The cathedral of Notre Dame is one of the most popular visitor attractions in France. In 2018, around 13 million people visited the church as tourists, rather than worshippers.

Until now, the cathedral has had the most generous opening hours of any major attraction in Paris: 8am–6.45pm every day of the year, and half-an-hour later at weekends. Admission is free, which is significant for a number of visitors to the French capital.

The other top attractions, including the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, are likely to see visitor numbers increase. But the effect will depend on the day of the week. Most Paris attractions are closed on either Monday or Tuesday, when Notre Dame was especially popular.

In terms of ecclesiastical tourism, Sacré-Cœur, the Basilica on top of the hill of Montmartre, may attract more visitors – as could the 13th-century Sainte-Chapelle, the royal chapel which, like Notre Dame, is on the Ile de la Cité at the heart of Paris.

Free attractions which may see a surge in numbers include the Maison Victor Hugo in the Marais.

Cemetery tourism may be boosted: Père Lachaise, in the east of the city, is the largest, and is the resting place of Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison.

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