Experience

Antwerp residents become City Hosts and show visitors around their city

Posted by Timothy on

In September 2024, more than 150 volunteers have already registered to become City Hosts: residents or entrepreneurs who spontaneously welcome visitors and show them around Antwerp. 

With this project, the City of Antwerp wants to profile itself even more as a hospitable city and build a bridge between visitors and residents.

City Host

City Hosts are Antwerp residents who voluntarily and in a personal way help visitors to make their stay in the city as pleasant as possible. They are not guides who are sent to specific locations and they do not provide formal information. They are Sinjoren – born, raised and living in Antwerp – who make themselves known to spontaneously help visitors. Residents as well as students, entrepreneurs and people who work in Antwerp can be City Hosts.

The City Hosts choose how intensively they commit themselves. This can range from showing a lost visitor around to having a chat or giving personal and local tips.

Halfway through September, the first City Hosts meeting took place in Het Steen or Stone Castle, where the volunteers were given more information about their exact role and how the city supports them in this. All participants also received a goodie bag to take home.

Building a bridge between Antwerp residents and visitors

With this initiative, the City wants to create a warm and hospitable atmosphere for everyone who visits Antwerp. 

By connecting visitors and residents, national and international tourists discover Antwerp in a personal and authentic way. In addition, residents and entrepreneurs feel even more involved in their city through their role as City Host. It also gives them the opportunity to expand their network, both with other City Hosts and professionals from the tourism sector.

Research by Toerisme Vlaanderen or Tourism Flanders shows that 74% of Antwerp residents support tourism and that 76% of Sinjoren would like to share their knowledge about the city with other people. 62% of residents also enjoy contact with visitors to the city. 

Alderman for Tourism Koen Kennis (N-VA): “I am therefore not surprised that there are so many candidates to be City Host. We know from research that Antwerp residents are proud of their city and like to share that pride with visitors. As a city, we guide them to do that as well as possible, because they become real ambassadors for the city. I would like to congratulate and thank them for that.”

Support and benefits

Anyone who registers as a City Host can count on a lot of support from the city. For example, participants get the chance to get to know their own city even better through various exclusive visits and other benefits. They stay informed of the latest activities and addresses via a newsletter. The City of Antwerp also regularly organizes meeting moments for the City Hosts.

In addition, participants are rewarded with discounts and exclusive benefits such as access to openings of exhibitions, workshops and events.

Anyone who is also interested in becoming a City Host can go to visit.antwerpen.be.

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