Nature, long weekends, Cathedral of light … Tourism trends in Rouen
Through Fabien Massin
Published on
Tourism has been one of the sectors of activity severely affected by the consequences of the health crisis since the start of 2020, and this is obviously not over. In this context, the Rouen Tourist Office (Seine-Maritime) reports figures announced for the summer of 2021, and trends to explore, as presented by Christine de Cintré and Delphine Crocq (respectively president and director of Rouen Normandy Tourism & Congress), Thursday October 6, 2021.
Strong rebound in June
Attendance at the Office, which is one of the indicators, shows a very strong rebound in June (+ 90% compared to 2020), even if we remain far from the pre-crisis figures (9,626 visitors to the Office in 2021, compared to 40,332 in 2019, the year of Armada, and 32,354 in 2018). In August, the most popular month, the rebound was 15% compared to 2020 (i.e. 16,000 visitors, compared to 43,240 in 2019 and 48,139 in 2018).
Beyond these raw figures, specific features emerge: strong dynamics of the three-day weekends, of the part of travelers from the neighboring regions, Île-de-France and Hauts de France; return of foreigners, in the first rank of the Dutch, alongside the Belgians and the Germans; search for quality tourism turned towards nature, as evidenced by attendance at the Jumièges reception office, the months of July and August recording higher figures than in 2019, in the world before. On the other hand, groups coming Going through tour operators are not yet back.
The start of summer was marked by two major novelties, the weekend called Les beaux jours, a series of lively events all over the Metropolis, brought together by the Tourist Office to kick off the season. summer, and the River Festival, which marked 20,000 curious. These two appointments must be repeated. Three new visits offered by the Office (author of gastronomy, Arsène Lupine and Flaubert) have found their audience and should also be perpetuated. Just like the bicycle rental service (classic and electrically assisted), which will be extended until November 15.
The cathedral as a landmark
River cruises, too, are gradually making a comeback, before that of the maritime ones – with significant economic benefits – in 2022 (22 liner are already waiting). Another highlight of the summer, and there the cycle continues until spring 2022, there were all the events organized around the bicentenary of the birth of Flaubert (1821-1880), including the flagship exhibition, Salammbô, at the Museum of Fine Arts. And the application Flaubert is not dead, which offers a fun course in the footsteps of the writer in Rouen, has been associated 1,200 times.
As for the classics, Cathedral of light noted 125,000 spectators, despite a reduced tonnage in early summer. And next year will be the year of a new creation, after the sections devoted to Impressionism, Joan of Arc, the Vikings, William the Conqueror and the new worlds. For now, we do not yet know the content. More generally, Rouen Cathedral – a “landmark”, in the words of Christine de Cintré -, and the image it conveys outside, must be dealt with in more depth in the offer. tourist coming.
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