The Economy minister Bruno Le Maire went on Monday in the marian city, which has suffered the economic consequences of the health crisis.
“It is a very difficult time in the history of our city”. The mayor of Lourdes, Thierry Lavit does not hide his concern. The marian city, hit hard by the crisis of the coronavirus, saw its worst tourist season. Without its foreign visitors, Lourdes receives 8000 followers per day instead of 20 000 usual, reports The World. On 15 August, cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of State of the Holy see, usually celebrated a mass in front of 25 000 believers. Because of the ban of gatherings of more than 5000 people, it promises to be much more confidential this year. Interviewed this Monday on RTL, Thierry Lavit has ensured that the two masses would, however, take place on this date.
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The pilgrimages, which are crucial for the economy of the city, are lacking. “95% of pilgrimages have been cancelled, whether they are French or come from abroad”, said on RTL the rector, Mgr Olivier Ribadeau Dumas. The national pilgrimage of The Assumption do not meet as well as 450 people, compared to 10 000 people in the normal time. The sanctuary is already planning for this year 8 million of losses due to the coronavirus. “2020 is a year away, tells France Blue Bishop Xavier Darode, and 2021 certainly, will not be a normal year.”
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Two-thirds of the hotels closed
This desertion is a terrible blow to the second city hotel of France. Only one-third of the 148 hotels in Lourdes have re-opened this summer. The others remain closed. Restaurants and café owners have also lost 40% of their turnover, says France Blue.
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In total, about 80% of the attendance of the city is provided by the pilgrimages, which correspond to 17% of jobs in tourism in the region. What generate a shortfall of 4 million euros for the season 2020. Responsible for a hotel close to the sanctuary, Sandrine hopes to reach the 8% of rooms occupied this season, compared to 60% in normal times. “I have not re-opened to earn money because I know that I will not have to pay this year. But it is simply to pay the charges”, she says to France Bleu, worrying about the situation of sub-contractors. “There are all the other actors that we are working around us in normal time : the coffee trader, vegetables, orange juice, wholesalers… And then all tilers, plaquistes, painters who were to carry out our work.”
And the health crisis comes at the worst time for the city, shunned by some members of the faithful for years. Between 2010 and 2018, the attendance has risen from 800 000 to 450 000 pilgrims.
Bruno The Mayor on Monday
In this context, the public authorities are active. The Economy minister Bruno Le Maire went on Monday in the marian city, accompanied by the secretary of State for Tourism Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, and Alain Griset, the new minister delegate for small and medium-sized enterprises.
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“Covid-19”, the new coronavirus
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Interviewed by la Depeche du Midi, the tenant of Bercy hopes that the city “may be the subject of a tourism-specific, with additional measures, in connection with the deposits, the region and the economic actors.” For the time being, it “is entitled to all the features of the plan for tourism”, said minister. For its part, the municipal official wants to believe in the recovery of Heavy. The city “recovers from this catastrophic season”, he says.
