For a year and a half, Mathieu Varis has embarked on a major project: facilitating the arrival of Christian residents from India to Lourdes.

And if, in the next few months or during the next pilgrimage, the view Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes take on an Indian accent? This is a seemingly unusual project that Mathieu Varis, elected to the city council of Argelès-Gazost, has been starting for more than a year. Idea? To attract the Christian population of India, almost 50 million people, to Lourdes to come and discover the Holy Place and why not the entire Department.

Questions about seduction? Not really, because the demand is already there. The problem lies at the level of local acceptance conditions. Issues that Argelésian elected officials have addressed: “In fact, applying for a tourist visa, even for a holiday, is very complicated to obtain if you are from India, especially in terms of how long the procedure takes. I have met with Mr Prefect Jean Salomon, who seems interested in this project and should work together to facilitate the arrival of Indian tourists in Bigorre..”

From 500 to 600,000 pilgrims per year

Several steps must be taken then, first establishing contacts in India to reach customers. This information was obtained by elected officials from travel agencies, schools and various Asian companies. A flow that could quickly represent several hundred thousand tourists per year…

Find the rest of this article in the February 23 La Semaine des Pyrénées newspaper, available on newsstands or on our website.