Development and the management of tourism

In 2007, 600,000 of them crossed the threshold of the porte Dominique de Florence to discover the Cathedral’s interior and close to 150,00 of them admired the works of Toulouse-Lautrec, exhibited in the new museum area of the Berbie palace.

The significant proportion of foreign tourists among the visitors (47% in 2007) shows that it is truly a site of international renown. The majority of foreign visitors were Spanish, British or Germans.

Albi attracts a large number of families (according a recent study, ¾ of visitors came as families) and 25% of these families were accompanied by one or more children.

Finally, a significant number of Albi’s tourists come from the region of the Midi-pyrenees and its neighbouring regions (in particular the Aquitaine) which probably explains why the average duration of visits is 1.5 days for French nationals and 1.7 days for foreign tourists.

The policy of the town of Albi as regards its tourists is integrated into a global policy which associates numerous aspects:

• the cultural aspect, through the variety and richness of the cultural programme and the diversity of touristic attractions;
• the economic and social aspect, taking into account the different socio-political categories of residents and visitors alike, pricing policies, considerations of accessibility for the handicapped...
• the environmental aspect, encompassing concerns of cleanness, air quality, the conservation of natural habitats...
• the urban aspect, the embellishment of town life, the quality of urban developments, lighting.

This orientation conforms to the objectives of Albi’s Agenda 21. It is within this framework that Albi seeks to offer a high quality experience to a diverse array of visitors.

The quality of the welcome that Albi seeks to offer its visitors corresponds to the exceptional heritage of the Episcopal city.