Bruges (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Bruges has gone through an amazing growth boost, and we saw visitors alone in thousands during the Winter Glow in the last month, surpassing 1.7 million.
Continuous attractions comprising Christmas markets, a light trail event, and the Warmest Week solidarity campaign have been applauded as huge successes by Mayor Dirk De Fauw. He noted that while the turnout was impressive, it occasionally felt “a bit too busy” for comfort. In particular, Winter Glow 2024 received 1,705,000 attendees in total; domestic attendees rose 4%, and foreign attendees rose 59%.
During December, Bruges’ Winter Glow event saw over 1.7 million tourists and flourished the local economy. Despite the highly successful event, some, such as the figure skating rink, were negatively commented on. Mayor De Fauw pointed out that there is a need for better arrangements to handle crowds. The Winter Glow celebration had several activities, which are outlined below, that made it so popular. The Warmest Week attracted 353 thousand visits, being a single event for seven days, and the light trail of three kilometres long attracted 340 thousand participants with more than 7,5 thousand people per night. The lively atmosphere was good for business; the catering sector in Bruges gained 10% more turnover, especially in the main shopping streets. More specifically, Mayor De Fauw also voiced his approval for the increase in overnight stays, although visitors choose accommodations for the night as well as for more than one night to be able to meet what Winter Glow wants to offer in this winter season. In turn, not all facets of Winter Glow received positive enforcement. The visitor’s dissatisfaction was most keenly expressed with regard to the figure skating rink, which had been termed below standard and did not meet expectations in terms of the quality of the event or the programme. Based on this feedback, local officials have suggested several ways that they could enhance future winter attractions. Mayor De Fauw said that he and other officials have noted the sophistication in the reduction of the use of synthetic ice for ice skating facilities for events and that there may be a return to reality ice for future events.
A tradition of festivity and growth
Winter Glow is just one of a host of initiatives that Bruges has undertaken to boost its appeal in the winter months. It is held from November 22 up to January 5, with the LEV wishing the historic city centre a magical feel as the holiday season through various attractions. Bruges utilises its medieval architecture, canals, and active cultural life as the backdrop for a wonderful holiday atmosphere.
This year’s Winter Glow has attracted more foreign people than previous years as more people consider Bruges one of the best places to be during the festive season. For example, the Christmas markets in the city, in terms of the products they sell and the general feel, spark interest among tourists from all parts of Europe and beyond. This is in addition to Bruges’ aim for sustainability and increased accessibility by addressing the issue of traffic congestion and taking appropriate measures to enhance public transport hire in areas experiencing higher tourist traffic during peak seasons.
Local authorities recognise that such high visitor numbers are a problem and are at present attempting to find methods of better controlling crowds while improving visitor experience satisfaction. Some of these interventions may address infrastructure development around key focal areas and evaluate the ability of service providers to respond to higher demand. More so, as tourism in Bruges transitions to winter destinations, such events as Winter Glow are inevitable in enhancing cultural presentation while at the same time contributing to the economy by providing unique experiences to the locals as well as the visitors.
