Destination report
Why Belgium is a convergence point for European events
BELGIUM HAS A WIDE DIVERSITY: OF LANGUAGES SPOKEN AND CITIES TO VISIT. WE LOOK AT ANTWERP, BRUSSELS AND BRUGES AS THREE CITIES WITH DISTINCT OFFERINGS FOR ORGANISERS
I n the 1980s, Belgium’ s biggest airline ran an ad to capture the attention of American travellers, who scarcely knew where Belgium was, let alone why they should visit. It read:“ In beautiful Belgium, there are five Amsterdams.” The ad was a reference to the Michelin guide, in which there were five listed Belgian cities, as opposed to Holland’ s one. After the ad ran, the airline( today known as Brussels Airlines) received a huge flurry of inquiries about a country that, for North Americans, had previously been scarcely more than a crossover destination.
Today, Belgium is much better known internationally. Yet still, organisers can learn something from that ad. Beyond Brussels, Belgium has some of the most beautiful towns and cities in central Europe. Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Charleroi and more.
As well as being the convergence point for policy makers, it’ s also the convergence of transport links across the continent, with high-speed rail links to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Cologne – and an international airport with more direct flights than Heathrow. It’ s accessible both on the map and in language. Belgium is one of Europe’ s most linguistically diverse countries, with French, Dutch, German and English all widely spoken.
Here’ s what you need to know about events in Belgium:
Antwerp – accessibility For organisers that care about a blend of accessibility and historic charm, Antwerp should be pinned on the list. Flanders’ largest city has a mobility programme, Smart Ways to Antwerp, which is based on one objective: making it easy for people to get around.
Left: Antwerp Expo
Europe’ s most accessible city? Antwerp has made mobility a city-wide priority. Here are some of the actions it has put in place:
• Public transport accessibility:, Antwerp’ s public transport system comprises buses and trams designed with low-floor access, increasing accessibility for passengers with mobility challenges.
• Cycling infrastructure expansion: Between 2015 and 2020, Antwerp experienced a 27 % increase in cyclists, due to the development of extensive biking infrastructure.
• International connectivity: Direct trains to Brussels Airport take just 30 minutes and high-speed rail links put Paris, London, Amsterdam and Cologne within easy reach.
• Leader in accessibility-first conferencing: The Break The Ice Forum and International Spinal Cord Society 2024 meeting have driven local improvements. After ISCoS 2024, local hotels and venues boosted their infrastructure to be more accessible.
Antwerp’ s key venues Antwerp Expo: Main event space Antwerp’ s primary event space, it is built for large conferences, trade shows and corporate events and features multiple halls and modern tech infrastructure. Vestar: Newest addition Opened in 2024, Vestar is designed for corporate meetings and mid-sized conferences, offering some impressive sustainability features. Crowne Plaza Antwerp & Mercure City South Antwerp’ s business hotel scene includes recently upgraded venues like Crowne Plaza( 600 delegates) and Mercure City South( 450 attendees), geared towards corporate meetings.
The city is also full of gothic charm, with a UNESCO-listed belfry and a train station that’ s frequently ranked one of the most beautiful in the world.
23 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 135