Belgium's Bruges gets crowded with summer tourists, hits ‘red line’
The charming and picturesque city of Bruges, famously known for its lovely cobblestone streets and serene canals, has recently found itself facing an overwhelming number of tourists during the summertime, crossing the ‘red line’ beyond which residents feel their peace is being disturbed.
It is no secret that the city is a hot spot for tourism, attracting almost eight million visitors each year, with a majority of them coming during summer months. However, the sheer number of visitors has left the residents of Bruges baffled, unsure of how to deal with the situation and restore the much-needed peace.
Though the residents do appreciate tourism and the boost it provides to the local economy, they believe there needs to be a balance between the two. A similar situation has arisen in Venice and Amsterdam, where cruise ships have been barred from docking due to an increase in over-tourism.
UNESCO has even recommended that Venice be declared an ‘endangered’ city due to its high levels of over-tourism. Among the overcrowded European destinations are Bruges, the Greek island of Rhodes, and Dubrovnik in Croatia, which have all struggled to cope with the influx of visitors.
According to the tourist authority in Bruges, mobile devices currently show that there are 131 visitors per 100 inhabitants each day.
A spokeswoman from tourism agency, Ann Plovie, said, “Bruges is often referred to as a mass tourism destination, but it isn’t. “This is like a bit (of a) misconception that the city is overcrowded. Indeed, I can’t deny that there are many tourists, but you should come on different periods and then you would see also the difference.”
Back in 2019, Bruges had to introduce a five-year strategy to boost overnight stays to attract visitors and create interest in cultural and gastronomic experiences rather than taking selfies.