Following a July in which there were very few visitors in Monaco, August has seen somewhat of a rebound, according to local traders.
Certainly, tourist numbers have jumped, as can be witnessed at the daily lunchtime changing of the Palace guard on the Rocher.
However, behind the number of bodies to be be seen on the streets of Monaco Ville and on the expanded pedestrian area of Casino Square, lies an unpleasant truth. Most of the visitors are day-trippers, most are French, and very few have large budgets.
While July saw the tourist trade operating at about 10 percent of normal, August is registering a level of spending activity at about 30 percent of an average year.
But while individual operators may differ about the bottom line, there is general agreement that the #MonacoSafe label has convinced enough tourists to return to avoid the summer of 2020 being a complete disaster.
PHOTO: Tourists reflected on Casino Square Max Brodie