Diest (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – In 2024, Diest attracted 11% more visitors with Urban Run, Hopville, and the Oldtimer Fly & Drive-In Schaffen. More than 6,396 extra overnight stays were also booked. The Citadel was restored with a 5-pointed star platform. Alderman Monique De Dobbeleer emphasised the need for more hotels.
Diest, a city in Belgium, wants to be a fun and welcoming place in 2024. They wanted to use their history, nature, and events to make the city a good place to live and visit. They had many events that brought in lots of people.
The Urban Run Diest let people run through the city and see the old buildings. The Oldtimer Fly & Drive-In Schaffen had lots of old cars and planes. People could even take helicopter rides. Hopville was a beer festival that celebrated the local beer makers.
How is Diest attracting more visitors with history and events?
In 2024, they fixed up the Citadel of Diest, which is a very old fortress. They added a new platform shaped like a 5-pointed star. From there, people can see all around the city. Officials mentioned that Diest cares about their history but also wants to be a lively place where people can enjoy themselves.
“The hotel accommodation in our city is insufficient to meet the demand”
Monique De Dobbeleer, Alderman (DDS)
In 2024, 11% more people came to visit Diest, and almost 6,396 of them stayed overnight. The city wants even more people to come. They are worried that there aren’t enough places for people to sleep. They have counted the number of hotel rooms and guest houses, and they know that they need more. So, they are going to build more hotels and guest houses. They want people to stay longer and enjoy everything Diest has to offer.
According to the officials, Diest is becoming a popular place to visit. Lots of people came to see St. Catherine’s Church, which is a beautiful old building. The Museum of Religious Art was also very popular, with many people coming to see the interesting things there. The City Museum De Hofstadt also had a lot of visitors, who wanted to learn about Diest’s history.
They mentioned that people also enjoyed being outdoors in Diest. Many people downloaded maps to walk around and explore, covering lots of kilometers. Many people also biked around, covering even more kilometers.
