As officials continue to investigate the cause of the Notre Dame fire that damaged the 93-meter spire, tour officials in France said it’s unclear how the incident will impact the tourism industry in Paris.
This news comes amid a decline in visitors over the last few months due to the ongoing Yellow Vest Protests that have occurred in Paris since November 2018.
Related Post: The Notre Dame Cathedral In Paris Has Caught Fire
Notre Dame is one of the most-visited monuments in the country and Europe, with more than 12 million visitors every year, according to the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“It’s just too early to tell,” Jeremy Palmer, senior vice president of Tauck Land Journeys, told Travel Weekly. “In the short term, it’s likely that a few people might decide to defer a trip to Paris to a later time, while many, many others will feel — admirably — a very strong urge to support the city and its people during a difficult time. “
Derek Kehl, European operations director for G Adventures, also told the publication that while the fire will obviously limit the number of visitors inside the cathedral, “we do not expect it will have a detrimental influence on the overall flow of travelers to Paris this season. The City of Light is still a beacon of beauty, romance and resilience, and it stands ready to welcome new generations of guests to its many other European masterpieces.’”
What are the restrictions around the cathedral?
As of now, tourists will not be permitted inside the cathedral site itself, but people are welcomed to write messages of support in both the main and local city halls.
Most of the bridges surrounding the cathedral are blocked by local police, but that hasn’t deterred tourists and Parisians from gathering near the monument, as reported in USA Today.
