A uniquely positioned tourist destination

As an international capital with a high quality of life, Brussels is uniquely positioned on the European and world tourism map and offers a real balance between business and leisure tourism.

The presence of the European institutions, NATO and more than 2,200 international associations generates a particularly intense congress and meeting activity for a city of just 1.2 million inhabitants.

Moreover, with 183 nationalities present on its territory, Brussels is the second most cosmopolitan city in the world and the first in Europe. A veritable laboratory of cultural diversity, it attracts people through its creativity and has become a hub for contemporary art. If you combine this with its historical centre, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Belgian capital is particularly attractive for short stays.

2.200

International associations

1,2 millions

Inhabitants

183

Nationalities

PART 01

Interview with Patrick Bontinck, CEO of visit.brussels: a look back at the last year

In 2022, Brussels' tourism sector experienced a notable recovery, following the general improvement of the health situation. Given this uplift, visit.brussels has been able to implement major projects to facilitate its digital evolution and transversality within its teams. While many challenges remain, the organisation is looking to the future of tourism with optimism and lucidity.

Patrick Bontinck, CEO of visit.brussels reflects on the past year.

Read the interview

PART 02

Presentation of 2022 by pole of activity

Established in 2020, visit.brussels' new internal organisation divides its activities into four departments centred around General Management: Strategy & International Development, Client experience, Media, Finance & Operating.

General management brings together the Human Resources service and the new Digital service.

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PART 03

2022, a year filled with major projects

For visit.brussels, 2022 was a year filled with major projects, a few of which deserve a special mention. Some allowed us to intensify our organisation's digital transformation and increase the visibility of the Brussels-Capital Region's cultural offer (Point 1 - React EU).

Others helped to mitigate the consequences of the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union while promoting the establishment of international institutions in the Brussels-Capital Region (Point 2 - BAR). Others contributed to reconciling the consequences of Brussels' thriving nightlife with the objective of increasing the attractiveness of our capital (point 3 - night council).

Moreover, visit.brussels has continued its efforts to offer our region a strong brand identity through its strategy of City Marketing (point 4 - City marketing). visit.brussels is keen to play its part in changing attitudes to travel and, in so doing, be part of a more environmentally friendly visitor's economy. To this end, our association has embarked on an ambitious project: the creation of nodes (point 5 - nodes).

Last but not least, visit.brussels has undergone internal reorganisations to optimise its operations (point 6 - reorganisation of purchasing).

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