Increased funding for 57 tourism projects

A selection of 57 tourism projects will receive government financing of €8.8 million, Flemish tourism minister Geert Bourgeois and Toerisme Vlaanderen announced.

More than 130 applications for funding were received for three “impulse programmes” – Flemish Coast, Flemish Regions and Flemish Art Cities-Brussels – and funding has been allocated for €2.3 million, €3.9 million, and €2.6 million, respectively.

The art cities programme includes a Beer Experience Centre in Antwerp, which receives a subsidy of €787,356. The centre in the De Koninck brewery will be a tourist meeting point, as well as the starting point for a tour that also relates the history of the city. Elsewhere, the repurposing of the city hall in Leuven receives €61,740.

The Green Regions programme includes funding for the National Jenever Museum in Hasselt, the former vagrants’ colony in Merksplas and a new tourist centre in Aalst. The Coast programme, meanwhile, sees support for a network for day-trippers, an extension of the conventions bureau in Ostend and development of the Willems Park in Knokke-Heist.

“Continued investment in tourism is extremely important to encourage tourists to come to Flanders and Brussels,” Bourgeois said. “The 2013 appeal for projects for the three programmes has been a huge success.”