Brussels plans to attract more tourists

The Brussels-Capital Region is aiming for an additional three million overnight stays by foreign tourists in 2020. It can count on the help of tourism information desk Visit Brussels, which has said it will contribute by drawing more tourists to destinations outside the city centre.

About seven million foreign tourists stay overnight in the region of Brussels each year, but that number should be 10 million by 2020, Geert Cochez of Visit Brussels told Brusselnieuws. "If you compare it with other capitals, such as Paris, London or Berlin, Brussels is still the little brother. There is so much potential for growth, especially as the capital of Europe," he said.

The intention is not to flood the historic city centre with more tourists, thereby making it unlivable, but rather to “develop more tourism in the 19 municipalities surrounding the capital,” said Cochez. He suggests, for example, attracting more tourists to the Heysel district with its Atomium and Art & Design Museum, or Saint-Gilles (pictured) with its Horta Museum and many cafes, in addition to Ixelles, Place Flagey and the Matonge district.

Visit Brussels plans to expand on existing campaigns that focus on some of Brussels strong points, such as jazz, Art Nouveau, contemporary art and the LGBT community. It will also introduce a new theme this year: diversity. "Brussels is a city of migration and international institutions. Diversity is in the city's DNA," explains Cochez. "We want this to be our trump card."