Visit Brussels, the organisation tasked with attracting
visitors to the city, including through conferences and events, is fighting to overturn
a proposed 65 per cent budget cut.
Staff at the destination marketing organisation (DMO) have launched
a petition calling for an ‘immediate review’ of the decision, which is expected
to be approved this week (27).
The petition claims the regional government is intending to slash
funding for the DMO, which runs the city’s convention and association bureau, from €22m to €8m by 2029.
This year alone the visit.brussels budget is being reduced by
€5.7 million, with at least 90 of the organisation's 160 jobs expected to be
culled over the next three years.
The news is a huge blow, not just for the Belgian capital,
but for the wider business events sector, which is battling to persuade policymakers
of its value in straitened times.
In response to the planned cuts, the agency has called for a
gathering on Friday at noon on Sint-Jansplein, near the Brussels Parliament,
ahead of the regional budget vote.
In a LinkedIn post, Thierry van Eyll, head of International
Development at VisitBrussels, said: “I am still incredulous. After almost 15
years of defending the Brussels destination, attracting congresses and visitors
from all over Europe and the world, breaking attendance records, helping all
sectors that make a living from tourism to recover from the various crises and
to shine on international markets and to engage many people, to support the
launch of new rail and air links, I find it hard to believe that all of this is
being brushed aside.”
Brussels is a major center for international meetings, a role reinforced by its position as the de facto capital of the European Union, where many key councils and committees are based. In 2024, the city ranked first for the fourth consecutive year in the Union of International Associations (UIA) rankings, hosting 388 international meetings. At the same time, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) placed Brussels 14th globally, recording 100 rotating international association meetings.
The funding cuts come as the Brussels-Capital region struggles with a €1bn budget deficit.
In a press release earlier this month, Budget Minister Dirk De Smedt said: "With this budget, we are restoring structure and discipline to Brussels' finances. We are launching a credible path toward a balanced budget by 2029. Brussels must once again become a reliable authority that manages its resources wisely."
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
