Thanks To Jay-Z And Beyonce, The Paris Louvre Saw A Record Number Of Visitors In 2018
There is no doubting the influence Beyonce and Jay-Z have over their fans. Arguably two of the greatest musical artists of the current generation, the stars have seen incredible success throughout their illustrious careers, and have served as inspiration to many — not only within the music industry, but in the worlds of dance, fashion, and beauty.
Evidently, Beyonce and Jay-Z also have an influence on travel and tourism, as the stars have been a huge factor in boosting the number of visitors to the Louvre in Paris. According to Reuters, a recent music video released by the couple helped the museum see a record number of visitors in 2018.
During the summer of last year, Beyonce and Jay-Z surprised fans all over the world by dropping a joint album as The Carters, releasing their nine-song LP Everything Is Love — without any warning — to digital streaming platforms Tidal and Spotify.
The second track on the album, “APES**T,” was also accompanied by a music video that was staged at the Louvre in Paris. Said video featured the couple performing in front of a number of famous works of art, including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.
The music video has garnered nearly 150 million views on YouTube since its release six months ago, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video. It was also awarded eight nominations at the 2018 MTV VMAs, ultimately taking home the award for Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction.
But the couple, and their iconic music video, did more than just win awards last year — it also helped its breathtaking setting see a record number of visitors over the course of 2018, helping to usher 10.2 million people into the museum throughout the year.
According to Reuters, three-quarters of that record-setting number were made up of foreigners — with 1.5 million tourists being American and 1 million tourists being Chinese nationals. And of course, not all of the traffic can be attributed to The Carters, as the album was only dropped halfway throughout 2018.
The Louvre’s previous record was 9.7 million visitors, which was set in 2012. In that year, the museum held exhibits on Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael, and inaugurated its Islamic Art section.
In recent years, however, the museum — and the city of Paris as a whole — has seen a drop in travelers, particularly after a terrorist attack in 2015 killed 130 people in the French capital. Tourism numbers for the city finally began to rebound this year, helping the museum achieve an incredible 25 percent increase in visitors from 2017.
“It is good to see that these American artists, creators of today, are interested in a museum of archaeology and ancient art,” Louvre Director Jean-Luc Martinez told Reuters.
The Louvre’s record breaking year also helped support a banner year for the French Center for National Monuments, ushering in an 8 percent increase in tourists to the 100 sites it manages.
