Bruges (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Bruges, Belgium is tackling overtourism by banning new hotels, limiting Airbnbs, and restricting cruise ships. Mayor Dirk De Fauw and Alderman Minou Esquenet aim for “quality tourism,” focusing on overnight stays. In 2024, Bruges had nearly 7 million visitors (+13%).
Bruges is taking action to combat overtourism. The city has banned the building of new hotels within the historic district and has put on hold the approval of new vacation home permits across the city. The city is also cracking down on short-term rentals such as Airbnb.
Cruise tourism, which is a major contributor to day-trip congestion, is being restricted by new docking limits. The measures, officials say, are trying to balance tourist and resident well-being, so that Bruges can remain a sustainable city.
How is Bruges managing 7 million tourists amid overtourism?
Dirk De Fauw, the mayor of Bruges, acknowledges that there is pressure, but he emphasizes that it is not as intense as in cities such as Venice and Dubrovnik. Nonetheless, he is aware of the necessity to strike a balance between tourism and the quality of life for residents. To offset this, Bruges is seeking to emphasize “quality tourism” in the future.
Mayor Dirk De Fauw (CD&V) said.
“We will continue to focus on quality tourism in the coming years by encouraging residential tourism and even curbing day tourism somewhat.”
The city council is considering increasing taxes on buses that bring large groups of tourists. Alderman for Tourism Minou Esquenet says the goal is to ensure day-trippers contribute more to the city’s costs. While implementing a tax is complex, Esquenet believes it’s necessary. Bruges is committed to finding solutions that benefit both residents and businesses.
“We are looking at the possibilities of having day tourists make a larger financial contribution. Taxing the buses with groups of tourists more is one of the options we are looking into,”
Says Alderman for Tourism Minou Esquenet (CD&V).
In 2024, approximately 7 million tourists visited Bruges, a 13% increase from the previous year. The majority of them were day-trippers. Residential tourism also saw a modest increase. However, the city council made a change in its reporting methodology. For the first time, they excluded visitors from surrounding municipalities.
According to the city council, the total number would have reached 91 million. This decision is likely an attempt by city officials to downplay the impact of overtourism, a growing concern in Bruges.
They mentioned that the city is facing challenges related to infrastructure strain, rising housing costs, and declining local support for mass tourism, prompting authorities to re-evaluate how they manage visitor numbers.
