Sint-Niklaas (Brussels Morning Newspaper): On Dec 23, Waasland Shopping Center had 34,000 visitors, a 10% increase. Vincent Hermans cites new stores and longer hours as reasons for the increase.
The busiest day was Monday, December 23, with a record number of 34,000 visitors to the shopping centre. In December, when visitors went up by 10 per cent compared to last year, having an extra day to shop. This indicates that the holiday season has been well accepted at this shopping centre. Manager Vincent Hermans said the increase was “spectacular,” highlighting the growing interest in the centre.
What factors contributed to Waasland shopping centre’s success?
It has been reported that the centre has gained many new stores, which is one reason it has been so successful. Many new shops attract first-time visitors, while regular customers want to go there more often. Together with the holiday shopping rush and extended hours of operation, these changes make this centre very busy during one of the peak shopping seasons.
Within the last three years, almost 20 per cent of the shops at Waasland Shopping Center have changed, thus offering more choices to customers and attracting new visitors. Active social media at the centre has also attracted more young people. In 2024, approximately 5.6 million people visited the centre, up 3 per cent from the previous year. According to Hermans, visitors come from Waasland and its surroundings, Aalst, Ghent, and Antwerp.
