Illustration of an old battlefield, in the Somme, where English tourists usually go.

-

Mary Evans / SIPA

  • The traditional British tourist clientele was lacking in the Hauts-de-France region this summer.

  • On the other hand, the Belgians were more numerous on the coast.

  • The tourist offices are trying to find new ideas to attract other customers.

You miss only one stranger and everything is (almost) depopulated.

This summer, the Covid-19 pandemic deprived the Hauts-de-France region of a traditional tourist clientele: the British.

A huge shortfall because "these tourists generally have good purchasing power," says François Bergez, director of Somme Tourism.

In the east of its department, remembrance tourism attracts nearly 250,000 foreign visitors each year, the vast majority from England and Australia, who have come to discover the remains of the First World War.

“This year, the sites were deserted,” he laments.

Target a more regional clientele

Without the English, the Somme must now target a more regional clientele.

A video clip is to be shot in the coming weeks to promote cycling to memory sites.

“A souvenir cycle route exists between Amiens and Arras.

We are going to highlight it through the sports champions who died during the Great War ”, announces François Bergez.

On the other hand, on the coast of the department, the absence of the English was somewhat offset by an unusual influx of tourists from Belgium.

On their crowded beaches, tensions linked to the coronavirus have prompted Belgians to emigrate to the Bay of Somme, but also to the Opal Coast.

Good news for the city of Calais where the English traditionally make up nearly a third of tourist traffic.

“The figure fell to 5% in July-August.

The quarantine imposed at the beginning of August by the British government dealt us the final blow, ”regrets François Lurette, promotion manager of the city's tourist office.

Noticed absence

In Arras too, the English absence was noticed, causing a 50% drop in tourists this summer.

“It was our first foreign clientele, especially thanks to groups.

Imagine that the Germans were more numerous!

», Deplores Christian Bergé, director of the Tourist Office.

The good news is the growing interest of tourists from Ile-de-France for the capital of Pas-de-Calais.

“We must develop our strategy for this clientele and also focus on business tourism in the coming months,” says Christian Bergé.

"In the long term, no worries about the fact that the English will come back", we are told at the Hauts-de-France regional tourism committee which will also distribute, this month, a magazine to 50,000 copies, in the language of Shakespeare.

History to keep in touch, despite the Brexit which is pointing its nose.

Podcast

"Mysteries from here" or the legend of the mischievous stone of Gauchin-le-Gal

Lille

Holidays near Lille: Marais de l'Audomarois, Aunelle valley ... Five ideas for a stay within 100 km

  • Picardy

  • Arras

  • Lille

  • Calais

  • Covid 19

  • Coronavirus

  • English

  • Tourism