Flanders, Belgium, accelerates beer tourism promotion
Beer is seen by most Belgians as their national drink. Since 2023, the Brussels Stock Exchange, constructed in 1868, welcomes the Belgian Beer World, the largest interactive center dedicated to beer. The museum is completed by a restaurant, a café and a roof top bar overlooking the city of Brussels while proposing a choice of over 150 beers, 49 of which are served on tap—a record in itself that is worth the detour!
The region of Flanders also acknowledges the appeal of bier tourism for travelers with dedicated tours and facilities.
By the end of the year, 12 breweries in Flanders will have a new center to welcome visitors and showcase the production and consumption of beer. The breweries received 3 million euros from the fund created by the EU to get the European economy back on its feet after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Of the hundreds of billions of euros in the European Commission’s recovery fund, Flanders received around 2 billion. Visit Flanders, the regional government agency that promotes tourism, distributed 18.5 million euros in subsidies across four priorities: beer – later broadened to culinary experiences – nature, cycling and art.
The goal around beer is to attract more beer lovers, both professionals and non-professionals, to the region. Some 50 brewers introduced initiatives to make their facilities more worthy of a visit, with 12 chosen to have new visitor centers.
Several of them make the traditional Geuze in artisanal breweries around Brussels. The others are spread out over Flanders. They offer tasting facilities, restaurants, workshops and visits to the production sites.
Once, the EU Covid-related funds are over by year-end, Visit Flanders will continue to promote Flemish beers. The region already has more than 10 beer festivals throughout the year and initiatives will be launched to promote the breweries and beers in other countries.
2026 will mark a special occasion, as it will be the 10th anniversary of UNESCO’s recognition of Belgian beer culture as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The UN institution recognizes the quality and variety of Belgian beers, but also the café culture, the influence of beer on gastronomy, the centuries of craftsmanship and the innovations of today.
Related News Stories: Partner News - TravelMole
TravelMole Editorial Team
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt