The Atomium received over 650,000 visitors in 2019, Be Culture, the agency that manages the tourist site’s communication, announced on Monday.
This is the third highest number recorded there after 2006, when the site was reopened to the public, and 2008, its jubilee year.
The number of visitors last year was 13% more than in 2018. Visits spiked in summer, bettering the previous year by 20%.
“There was an undeniable Tour de France effect,” the agency explained in a press release. “The Atomium gained global exposure thanks to that major event, which kicked off in Brussels.”
Visits remained high in October - December, reaching levels unmatched since the Atomium was renovated.
The increases are also attributable to the Atomium’s policy on temporary expositions, the press release added. The latest one, featuring Pieter Bruegel, has been on since September.
An increase in sales on the Internet, “especially from external platforms, in addition to the Atomium site itself,” is another factor that has allowed the site to attract so many visitors, Be Culture explained.
One-third of the visitors to the Atomium last year were Belgian, while the rest were foreign.
The largest contingent came from France (20%), followed by Germany (15%) and the United Kingdom (10%).
The Brussels Times
