Lourdes losing its appeal

The town of St Bernadette has seen its visitor numbers falling by about 25% in recent years with loss of jobs and income for its commerces. A study has suggested that it is appealing to a "low-cost" clientele who have been hard hit by the recession, especially in Spain and Italy the main source of pilgrims, consequently without some changes it is envisaged that 60 hotels could close in the next 3 years.

photo MaxPPP

Whilst keeping pilgrims at the centre of its appeal, Lourdes is aiming to widen its attraction to include the whole region especially the Pyrenees. Some hotels have up-graded their standards and the commune is looking to make it easier for wheel-chair users, though the maire's call for cafes to clear the pavements caused some friction.
With over four million tourists a year Lourdes is France's 12th most important site, but some have the impression that its 220 religious gift shops give it a tacky look to more modern tastes. Some visitors Taglines spoke to recently said of their visit to Lourdes that is was "a dump".
Of course a visit by Pope Francis would provide the kind of commercial miracle that would give some impetus to the town's renewal.
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