Bruges (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): In July Bruges welcomed 4% more foreign tourists especially from nearby countries and the U.S. while domestic visitors decreased due to travel freedom and early poor weather. Day-trippers raised overcrowding concerns.
In July there was a noticeable change in the types of tourists visiting Bruges. During the lockdown years of the COVID-19 pandemic domestic travel was the main option leading to a higher number of Belgians exploring Bruges. However this year there was a drop in domestic tourists because travel restrictions had eased allowing Belgians to travel more freely. The first part of July had unfavorable weather conditions which influenced many people to opt for warmer destinations in the south for their vacations. In July fewer Belgians came to Bruges but more tourists from other countries visited compared to last year. The travel restrictions being lifted and better weather later in the month probably helped bring in more foreign visitors. It has been said that they enjoyed the chance to explore Bruges making up for the decrease in local tourists and showing a return to how things were before the pandemic for travel.
What factors are influencing tourism trends in Bruges, and how is the city managing the influx of visitors?
Alderman Mike Hoste mentioned that more foreign visitors are coming to Bruges this year with a 4 percent increase compared to last year. These visitors mainly come from nearby countries like Germany, the Netherlands and France, but there’s also a noticeable rise in tourists from the United States. Mike Hoste explained that the reason there were fewer Americans in Bruges last year is linked to the situation in Ukraine. For Americans, Ukraine is part of Europe so with the conflict there they were less inclined to travel to Europe.
Not many Asians in Bruges now there’s few Japanese, Chinese or Koreans due to the pandemic. In July very few Chinese and Koreans were in Bruges. 10% fewer tourists stayed overnight compared to last July more people are doing day trips. Day visitors include locals and foreigners from cities like Antwerp, Ghent, Amsterdam and London. Bruges council worries about too many short-term day visitors making the city seem crowded. They value overnight tourists the most for financial contribution. Council works to ensure comfort for overnight guests and control the flow of short-term tourists, but it’s tough to manage completely.
