Batorama offers a tour including a visit to the European Parliament.

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G. Varela / 20 Minutes

  • Batorama saw its activity drop by 80% last year due to the Covid-19 epidemic, announces the management of the Strasbourg port which operates it.

  • The company only welcomed 166,535 passengers in 2020, on board its sightseeing boats, "or only 20% of the traffic of the previous year".

  • The storm also affects river cruises and, even if it is less, freight traffic.

It is a considerable waterway which shatters the river trade in Strasbourg.

And especially a sector directly linked to tourism, Batorama, the riverboats of the Alsatian capital.

Its activity fell by 80% last year due to the Covid-19 epidemic, recognizes the management of the Strasbourg port which operates it.

These boats, which offer tours along the Ill river, the historic center of Strasbourg and the district of the European institutions, and yet one of the main tourist attractions of the city, a real driving force for tourism of the region.

“The shutdown of the Batorama activity twice during confinement has had a strong impact on traffic,” commented the port.

The company Batorama, a subsidiary of the autonomous port of Strasbourg, welcomed only 166,535 passengers in 2020, aboard its sightseeing boats, "that is to say only 20% of the traffic of the previous year", the port said in a press release on its annual traffic reports.

Cruises too

Another stranding, cruises on the Rhine.

They also experienced a sharp fall: less than 15,000 passengers were recorded on the boats calling at Strasbourg last year, against 230,000 in 2019, noted Port Autonomous.

And the storm does not only affect river tourism activities even if it is less with regard to the traffic of goods, sector for which Strasbourg constitutes the second French inland port after Paris.

It limited its decline to 9.5%, or a total transported of 6.8 million tonnes, according to the statement.

A decline mainly linked to the "shutdown of the construction sector observed during the first half" marked by the first confinement, explained the management of the port.

The transport of construction materials, which represents almost half of the annual traffic total, fell by 17% over the whole of 2020, the statement added.

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  • Economy

  • Coronavirus

  • Strasbourg

  • Covid 19

  • Trade

  • Boat

  • Tourism

  • Cruises