In the Belgian city of Bruges, one of the most touristic cities in Europe, which fascinates millions of visitors with its medieval architecture and water canals, the people are demanding a more balanced tourism policy due to their discomfort with the excess of tourists.
BRUGES (AA) – SELEN VALENTE – Bruges, the capital of Belgium’s West Flanders region, attracts a lot of tourists as one of Europe’s most popular tourist centers.
Bruges, whose centre is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, is described by UNESCO as “an outstanding example of a medieval historical settlement that has preserved its historical fabric while evolving over the centuries.”
Known as the historical center of the city, the “Grote Markt” reflects an urban life that has been continuous since the 13th century.
The people of Bruges, which hosts millions of tourists every year with its Gothic architecture buildings, cobblestone streets and water canals, are a bit dissatisfied with this situation. For this reason, after European cities such as Venice, Dubrovnik, Amsterdam and Barcelona, Bruges, with a population of 120 thousand, is also preparing to struggle with “excess tourists”.
The idea was first floated by Mayor Dirk De fauw in 2019. De fauw said the city would “turn into Disneyland” if action was not taken.
Since 2019, the Municipality of Bruges has been implementing various measures to reduce the number of tourists and to transform the city into a place for quality tourism with multi-day cultural and gastronomic tours instead of day trips. Finally, it was decided not to allow new properties to be added to the existing facilities of the widespread short-term accommodation platform Airbnb. For details see:Europe’s UNESCO-Registered Famous Tourism City Bans Airbnb
Previously, the construction of new hotels in the city centre was banned, the number of cruise ships that could dock at the city’s port of Zeebrugge was reduced to two, and promotional advertisements about the city were withdrawn.
131 tourists per day per 100 city residents
Speaking to AA, Mieke Hoste, a council member responsible for tourism in the Bruges Municipality, said that the city, which attracts tourists from all over the world, was visited by 8.3 million people in 2023.
According to the data shared by Hoste, there are 131 tourists per 100 residents in the city per day.
In the 138 square kilometer city, tourism activities take place in the 4.4 square kilometer historical center and generally between 12:00 and 18:00.
In 2023, the city was visited by 588 thousand tourists in January, 618 thousand in February, 651 thousand in March, 960 thousand in April, 950 thousand in May, 797 thousand in June, 1 million in July and August, 823 thousand in September, 803 thousand in October, 645 thousand in November and 1.2 million in December. Two-thirds of the visitors are day trippers.
According to surveys on tourism in the city in 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2023, Bruges residents report being less and less satisfied with their lives.
Last year, 71 percent of the public said they did not feel comfortable in certain parts of the city because of tourists, 59 percent said tourists reduced the livability of the city, 70 percent said tourism made the city more expensive, 74 percent said tourism caused traffic problems in the city, and 68 percent said they wanted to move to another city because of tourism.
“This is a two-way situation.”
While the residents of Bruges interviewed by the AA correspondent acknowledge that tourism increases the city’s welfare and prestige, they also say that a balance needs to be found.
“I’ve lived here all my life,” says local Els De Brabander. “I really like Bruges. We benefit from tourism, but we don’t go to the city centre. There are too many tourists. When we want to go shopping, we do it after 6pm. When the buses leave and the tourists leave, we leave our homes.” he said.
“This is a two-way situation,” said De Brabander, adding that tourism has both advantages and disadvantages. A more balanced policy should be implemented with the measures to be taken by the municipality.he said.
Elsje Hendrycjx, whose parents live in Bruges, also said that the sounds of people pulling suitcases down the cobblestone streets in the early hours of the morning bothered the elderly residents in particular. “They have to go through crowds to go shopping in their own city. It’s annoying,” Hendrycjx said.
He did not want to be named Many Bruges residents also complain about the city’s narrow streets, the bus traffic, the high cost of living, and the crowds of shopkeepers mostly consist of day-trip tourists who don’t spend any money.He said it was.
