Visitor attractions in Paris - statistics & facts

Paris is recognized worldwide as one of the leading metropolises in terms of leisure activities of all kinds. Furthermore, the City of Light, with its history, museums, monuments, and famous residents (former and current), has built up an immense cultural heritage. This makes the French capital a popular destination among tourists, leading to it being ranked in second place, after London, in the 2020 ranking of the leading city destinations in Europe by number of nights.

Leading visitor attractions in Paris

There are many different types of leisure activities available in Paris, nevertheless, some places still remain more attractive than others. One of which is the Louvre Museum which ranked first among the leading museums, monuments, and leisure sites in Paris in 2020. Despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the former royal residence located in the heart of the French capital also kept its first place in the ranking of the most visited art museums in the world in 2020. However, the 2.7 million visitors reported in 2020 by the famous museum of art and antiquities was well below its usual attendance between eight and ten million visitors per year. The popularity of the Louvre is also supported by the various temporary exhibitions it hosts. The exhibition on Leonardo da Vinci came first in the ranking of the most visited temporary exhibitions in Paris in 2020, having attracted more than one million visitors.

COVID-19's impact on visitor attractions in Paris

Like many other sectors, the culture and entertainment industry in Paris did not escape the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Many establishments experienced a loss of business and attendance in 2020, having to close their doors to the public for several months. While some of them tried to continue their activity despite the crisis, making the most of new technologies, the loss of revenue in the cultural sector in France was still significant in 2020. Live performances suffered the most, with revenue dropping year-over-year by almost half between 2019 and 2020. Looking at admissions to cultural and leisure sites in Paris, the volume of foreign visitors was significantly lower in 2020 compared to the previous year, dropping by approximately 22 points.

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