The Atomium attracted visitor numbers of 430,774 in 2016, or 200,000 less than the previous year which reached a staggering 622,396. This reduction in numbers is a direct consequence of the terrorist attacks which hit Belgium and Europe.
Visitor numbers to the Brussels monument fell sharply after the March 22nd attacks.
In April, there was a 60% reduction or a loss of 37,000 visitors. The summer season did not provide the recovery hoped for, recording a 30% loss.
Compared to the previous year, the Atomium saw a massive reduction of 20,000 visitors in July and 25,000 in August.
However, the monument ended 2016 on a positive note. December attracted 43,445 visitors, compared to 33,329 in December 2015, whilst the terrorist threat has continued in Brussels.
The monument's management was delighted to announce, “This is the fourth best December since we reopened in 2006. We did better than 2006, 2013 and 2014. These good figures may, in particular be explained by the ‘Sabena. Voyager glamour’ exhibition [the temporary Sabena show on the allure of flying with the airline].”
Despite the general decrease in visitor numbers in 2016, the financial impact on the Atomium remains limited, thanks to the accumulation of reserves in previous years.
The Brussels Times
