Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Tourism in Hasselt, Limburg, has grown for 10 years. The “Guest Plan 2026–2031” by Visit Limburg and Laura Olaerts aims for quality, sustainability, and international appeal, not just more tourists.
As VRT News reported, tourism in Hasselt, Limburg, Belgium, has been growing for 10 years. Visit Limburg has a new plan called “Guest Plan 2026–2031” to make tourism better and last longer. Laura Olaerts says Limburg is now well-known for tourism. The goal is to make the experience better for visitors and people who live there, not just to get more tourists.
Laura mentioned that they found that Limburg is great for cycling, has nice scenery, and is peaceful. They also found problems. Too many tourists come at once. Limburg isn’t famous enough around the world. Local businesses need to make more money.
“There are busy periods now, such as the blossoming season, but afterwards it becomes a bit quiet for many accommodations.”
Member of the Provincial Executive, Laura Olaerts (N-VA)
How will Limburg’s guest plan 2026–2031 boost tourism?
According to officials, the “Guest Plan 2026–2031” has goals for tourism in Limburg. They want to focus on nature, spread out the tourists throughout the year, make more money, and become more famous internationally. Limburg will offer more nature-based activities. They will encourage tourism during less busy times with events and wellness programs. They will help local businesses provide better services.
They explained that they want tourism to capture tourists who stay longer and spend more money. This way, tourism can be at a profit without affecting the environment. They will also market Limburg worldwide, following the European patterns in sustainable and authentic tourism. Municipalities, tourism businesses, and regional partners will work together.
“The sector indicates that their businesses are not profitable for everyone. We also see many opportunities to tackle the seasonal spread. Not only in time, but also in space. There are busy periods now, such as the blossoming period, but afterwards it becomes a bit quieter for many accommodations. That also needs to be addressed,”
Laura Olaerts said.
According to the officials, the new Guest Plan 2026–2031 focuses on helping local tourism businesses and encouraging different sectors to work together. The aim is to create a better tourism experience and help businesses invest and improve. They want hospitality, activities, towns, and cultural places to cooperate.
They said that this plan is not just about more tourists, but about making tourism better and stronger economically. They will also improve landscape tourism, like walking and cycling routes, to fit Limburg’s landscapes and towns. They are focusing on improving the quality of existing routes instead of adding more.
“There is special attention for the hospitality industry, as an atmosphere-defining link in multi-day residential tourism, and for attracting talent in a tight labor market. We strengthen our entrepreneurs in the field of sustainability, so that Limburg can grow into a resilient, future-oriented tourist region,”
Says Olaerts.
Limburg wants to be known internationally for its landscape tourism. They will launch campaigns to highlight the beauty of Limburg’s landscapes. Officials mentioned that the goal is to attract visitors who appreciate authenticity, tranquillity, and nature. They want to focus on added value, not just numbers.
“Target groups include couples, families, groups of friends and small-scale business teams from Flanders, the Netherlands and Germany. The Limburgers themselves also remain important as users and ambassadors of the tourist offer,”
Laura Olaerts said.
