© RTL
Pope Francis' brief visit to Luxembourg drew thousands of spectators but left much of the capital's business community unaffected, with many shops and restaurants seeing little benefit from the event.
While Pope Francis' visit to the Grand Duchy on Thursday was a significant even for Luxembourg Catholics, politicians, and national media alike, its effect on the capital's business community was much less noticeable. Despite thousands of visitors attracted by the high-profile event, many shops remained largely empty.
Mireille Rahmé-Bley, president of Luxembourg City's business association, attributes this to the bad weather, which might have encouraged more people to follow the event via television instead.
Although the visit was well-organised and possibly might have put Luxembourg on the tourist radar, hotel and restaurant owners saw little benefit from the short visit. HORESCA president Alain Rix believes that this mainly stemmed from the fact that the Pope only visited the Grand Duchy for a couple of hours. Had he spent a night here, things might have looked different, he speculates.
Steve Martellini, HORESCA secretary general, draws a similar conclusion, adding that the numerous road closures might have discouraged potential customers.
The only exception was a small café on rue Notre Dame, which has seen a surge in bookings after the Pope dropped in for an espresso. Jacin Guillot, who works as a barista at the café, speaks of a relatively quiet atmosphere last weekend, compared to the bustle that has not stopped since the papal visit.
