Experience

ANTWERP 2025-2030 | City of Antwerp wants more tourists on weekdays, historic trams and it promises to tackle Airbnb overtourism

Posted by Timothy on

On Saturday 14 December 2024, Bart De Wever (N-VA) and Kathleen Van Brempt (Vooruit) presented ‘Allemaal Antwerpenaar‘ or ‘All Antwerpians‘, the City of Antwerp governing agreement for the 2025-2030 term. On Sunday 15 December, the parties ratified the document and the Council of Mayor and Aldermen was presented. 

Tourism is a big topic for the City of Antwerp so obviously the government agreement or bestuursakkoord has a tourism topic. 

Objective #504: Tourism on weekdays

“We believe it is important that our accommodation sector can also receive visitors during the week and therefore continue to focus on conference tourism. These tourists often visit the city on their own after their meetings. It is therefore very important to pamper these experienced travellers. After all, they are future ambassadors of our city. By supporting the Antwerp Convention Bureau, multi-day international conferences find their way to Antwerp.”

Objective #505: More conference hosting accommodation

“Antwerp is already known as a conference destination but often encounters a capacity shortage in terms of size of locations. That is why we are working with Flanders and other partners to expand the conference and exhibition infrastructure. (FMCCA and Antwerp Expo)”

Antwerp Expo, formerly Bouwcentrum, is a multipurpose event hall. It’s not small, but it’s not large either. It’s located near the Ring road. 

The Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp (FMCCA) is the event hall at ZOO Antwerpen, near Antwerp-Central Railway Station. 

Objective #506: Smaakhaven

“Antwerp is a culinary city. The wide range of restaurants and bars, both trendy new dining concepts and timeless classics, is one of our major assets. This is confirmed by the arrival of the Flemish Culinary Centre Smaakhaven at the Loodswezen, which is being further developed and realised in collaboration with Toerisme Vlaanderen. We will ensure a grand opening.”

This project is not uncontroversial. 

Objective #507: Culinary events

“In the further positioning of Antwerp as a culinary world city, we will actively search for hidden gems within the various communities to connect with existing initiatives such as Smaakmeesters, Antwerpen Proeft…”

This is a very abstract one. Is Antwerp going to look for ‘exotic’ cuisines? Or (help) organise new culinary events? 

Objective #508: Take me to church

“We encourage the boards of the various monumental churches to roll out one joint offer, including nocturnes, for visitors under the leadership of the non-profit organisation Monumentale Kerken. We believe that this, just like museums, theater and concert visits, in combination with a restaurant visit is the perfect formula to entice visitors to book an overnight stay in our city.”

Amen.

Objective #509: Camping on Linkeroever

“The new city campsite on the Left Bank (Linkeroever) attracts adventurous tourists but also camper tourists. They can stay comfortably here in the greenery and are only a few minutes away by public transport in the bustling city center. In the outer districts, we are looking into whether camper pitches can be created in interesting places. For example, we want to investigate specifically whether this is possible near the Oude Landen in Ekeren, the Hobokense Polder or other nature reserves.”

Objective #510: Airbnb and overtourism

“Antwerp has a wide range of accommodation concepts. New living concepts, such as short-term rental, are carefully screened and tested against the hotel bill, in order to avoid an oversupply of accommodation.”

Few words to describe the City of Antwerp will work around Airbnb. Short-term rental is one of the symptoms of overtourism.

Objective #511: Cruising

“River and sea cruise passengers are welcome in our city. Our state-of-the-art pontoon is equipped with shore power connections so that all river cruises can connect to it. Thanks to Antwerp Cruise Terminal, we work closely with all the partners involved to maintain Antwerp’s image as a boutique port. We are also investigating whether river cruises can also be attractive or functional for tourists from their winter berth. All other forms of water recreation will gain in popularity thanks to the city port plan.”

For some cruise tourists are the devil. But the City of Antwerp embraces them. 

Objective #512: Cycling

“We promote tourist cycle routes, which are further strengthened by the Flemish and provincial policy for cycle tourism. We provide cycling tourists with the best cycling infrastructure and introduce them to special routes in and around the city. The (tourist) cycling routes in the districts are also highlighted.”

Objective #513: uniform ticketing

“We are investigating the possibility of operating an (online) ticket platform where all attractions, cultural centres, concert halls and museums can offer their tickets. This way, visitors can see at a glance what there is to experience.”

Objective #514: Promoting Antwerp abroad

“We also monitor the presence of our city in the campaigns that Tourism Flanders launches on the international market.”

Objective #515: More than postal code 2000

“The districts are further developing their tourist assets. The City emphasises the local tourist assets in the districts and focuses on attractions in the outer districts, such as a tourist cycling route along the forts, the Children’s Farm, the Stampe and Vertongen Museum, and the Tram Museum. We support the setting up of a tourist tram operation, in collaboration with De Lijn and the Tram Museum. Historic carriages are used during the tourist season.”

Interesting note. Historic trams are at the moment banned from running on the De Lijn network as there are technical incompatibilities. No Christmas Tram this year (2024). 

Objective #516: Youngsters

“We continue to attract young people as visitors to our city. That is why we are expanding the accommodation for young people. In the Zurenborg Railway Park, close to the Scoutel, we are looking into the possibility of setting up a scout building annex youth accommodation, following the example of the scout building on Linkeroever. The new city camping site on Linkeroever will provide overnight accommodation for backpackers.

So? 

Few surprises here. It will be interesting to see what comes to fruition. Especially for managing Airbnb and the historic trams. Koen Kennis (N-VA) keeps the department of Tourism. So perhaps nothing will really change. 

Antwerp 2025-2030

On tourism