In 2024, visit.brussels maintained its flagship tourism products that together promoted cultural discovery, sustainable tourism and tourism decentralisation.

The Brussels Card remained at the heart of this dynamic, with 18,870 cards sold. This card provides easy access to museums and attractions at reduced prices. It's existence is a testament to visit.brussels' commitment to an enriching and accessible tourist experience.

According to the 2023 Reputation Tracker report by TCI Research & TravelSat, Brussels' attractions received very satisfactory ratings, with a particular distinction for the guided tours, appreciated for the friendliness of the staff and the quality of the entertainment. In response, 2024 also focuses on these stakeholders by strengthening interactions and partnerships with the guided tours sector, aiming to boost their visibility and enhance their services.

The initiative related to the deployment of Greeters was a great success, with 381 walks organised in their company. This popular activity received an excellent satisfaction rate of 98.5%. 15 new greeters joined the teams in 2024.

In addition, visit.brussels' development of products and experiences involved the promotion of local gastronomic delights in Brussels, including the famous Best Shrimp Croquette competition, the awarding of our "Brusselicious" label recognising the best local cuisine in our capital (awarded to 36 Brussels establishments). We should also mention the complete redesign of our website for restaurants. Meanwhile, the Volume Pass enables visitors to experience the full wealth of Brussels' nightlife at a reasonable price.

In 2024, visit.brussels actively promoted Brussels on the international scene with a dynamic strategy of communication campaigns, press actions and collaboration with national and international influencers.

Various communication campaigns were orchestrated by visit.brussels in 2024. Some of these were aimed specifically at the expatriate population in Brussels, or at art lovers, as part of communication campaigns to mark the anniversary of the Surrealist art movement. These different communication campaigns met with resounding success: 1,058,600 impressions as part of the BXLconnect 2024 campaign, targeting the "expat" community.

Playing a decisive role in promoting Brussels, social media and influencers were, once again this year, used to raise our capital's profile. Paid promotional campaigns (via Facebook  and Instagram ) achieved spectacular results with 5,237,710 views of promotional videos.  In addition, some twenty collaborations with well-known national and international influencers helped to promote their image and experience during their visit to Brussels, reaching more than 11.82 million people.

Support for the national press, designed to encourage Belgians to visit Brussels, also included partnerships with flagship programmes such as Les Ambassadeurs on La Une/RTBF and De Weekwatchers on Radio 2/VRT. In 2024, over 100 interviews were conducted and more than 60 press releases issued. In total, almost 3,100 print articles and 6,700 articles in the national press were published, representing a total media value of €62.5 million.

Visit.brussels also organised press trips, welcoming nearly 250 foreign journalists and handling over 100 requests for information and support from journalists visiting Brussels.  The practical implications of the press trips and managing the requests generated international press coverage worth €260 million.

In 2024, the definition of "partner" was revised so as to strengthen collaboration with those involved in the tourism and culture sectors in Brussels. A charter was also established to clarify and reinforce their role as ambassadors, improve the quality of services and guarantee a positive impact on the city.

A total of 1,150 partners, including public bodies, cultural and tourism managers and local authorities, were met at events, sectoral or themed round tables and training courses. Major events, such as Brussels Insight in September, systematically bring together around a hundred participants and are intended to inform, co-create, inspire, network and promote partners. In addition, some thirty themed meetings, each attended by between 10 and 60 participants, provided an opportunity to deepen partnerships on specific topics such as sustainability, accreditations, intermunicipal cooperation, contemporary art, cultural stakeholders and media, the performing arts, guided tours, heritage and gastronomy.

The Quality Academy aims to offer year-round certified training courses that enhance the skills of Brussels' hospitality professionals (tourism staff, catering, cultural facilities) with a view to improving the welcome and promotion of Brussels tourism.

The visit.brussels Awards ceremony at TRACK Brussels honoured seven outstanding initiatives that contributed to the Region's international reputation and elevated the visitor experience. The event, celebrating innovation and excellence in the Brussels tourism sector, was attended by 180 guests.

Other key events enriched this dynamic, notably Career Day, a chance for 70 students to meet 10 industry professionals with around ten presentations and events for students at colleges and universities. In addition, there were some ten presentations to expat audiences through European institutions and NATO.

Overall, there has been increased participation in partner events, reflecting a growing interest and greater loyalty among participants, due to awareness initiatives.

In 2024, visit.brussels strengthened its partnerships with rail and air carriers to improve Brussels' accessibility and attractiveness. The extension of European Sleeper's Prague-Brussels route was supported by promotional campaigns, while the merger of Eurostar and Thalys positioned the capital as a major rail hub. In terms of air travel, new intercontinental routes were launched in partnership with Brussels Airlines, Singapore Airlines, ANA Airways and Thai Airways, through promotion agreements and networking events.

In the Travel Trade sector, visit.brussels stepped up its presence in European, North American and overseas markets. In Europe, there were targeted campaigns in France, Germany, the UK, Spain and Italy, reaching thousands of qualified contacts.

In the United States, the focus was on MICE, with a successful sales mission. New partnerships with airlines are planned for 2025.

On the distant markets (Brazil, India, Japan), visit.brussels worked with local agencies and Brussels Airport to consolidate its presence. In India, more than 30 programmes now include Brussels, while in Brazil, 70 programmes have been developed. 5,000 qualified contacts were recorded in Brazil and 3,500 in India. In Japan, a concerted approach with Brussels Airport and the other Belgian regions led to a structured engagement strategy with TOs and OTAs to increase Brussels' appearances in international catalogues.

Such initiatives have established Brussels as a must-visit destination, boosting its appeal to tourism professionals and international travellers alike.