Brussels loses the last of its tourist offices in cost-saving measure slammed by employees and unions

Any visitor to Brussels hoping to find a map or person to tell them what to do or see in the city is heading for a disappointment.

The tourist information centre in the Grand Place run by the city’s promotion and communications agency, visit.brussels, closed on 30 June after decades of service. This follows the shutdown, in April, of Brussels Info Place (BIP) on Place Royale.

The closures result from savings imposed by the Brussels-Capital Region government.  According to visit.brussels employee and trade unionist Martin Dekeyser, Brussels is “losing a piece of history” without a tourist office.

“Every tourist who arrives here tomorrow will have to do without any information,” he added. “Only Google or the search engines can help them.”

The action is because the tourism agency is having to say goodbye to 37 out of 159 full-time staff due to its subsidies decreasing by 64%. Employees are leaving the office as a part of a voluntary departure plan agreed with the Brussels government.

Out in force on the day of closure, unions slammed the decision to stop visit.brussels’ activities as “a political choice”. “The cuts presented as inevitable are not an economic fact. They reflect political priorities. Other choices were possible.”

Writing on LinkedIn, Kris Heyvaert, head of editorial services at visit.brussels, agreed: “Personal reception of tourists is suddenly outdated. Strange, in a sector that revolves around people… You can stop a tradition of 60 years of hospitality and services with a snap of your fingers. Building something like that takes a little longer.”

The closures follow other cutbacks to the city’s tourist offices. In April, the Brussels government decided to shut at least 14 of its 33 overseas trade and promotion offices, including those in Milan, Barcelona, Geneva and Shanghai, as part of a wider plan to achieve a budgetary balance by 2029.

Wallonia and Flanders tourism offices in Brussels already closed

Moreover, from mid-March, when Visit Wallonia finally shut its doors, people looking for information on events or activities outside of Brussels will also draw a blank. Meanwhile the Flanders Information Centre, which now only offers Flanders-inspired gifts, shut at least a year ago.

Despite the gloom, one Brussels municipality is bucking the trend and resisting the rise of Internet-only information. Anderlecht library boasts an impressive array of leaflets, maps, walk and cycle ride tours as well as details of cultural and entertainment opportunities in the area. And instead of screens, real people sit behind the desks, ready to answer any questions you may have.

For the rest of Brussels, the only option is to ask at hotels. Staff will normally at least be able to offer a basic maps. If you are lucky, they should also be able to provide tips on what to see and do.

Photo: Grand Place ©Visit.brussels