Hello from Avenue Louise. Katie Westwood here with your daily rundown of all the news that’s fit to print in Belgium.
First off, a hearty congratulations to Bulgaria for winning Eurovision this weekend with the delightfully bonkers song Bangaranga (behold the majesty of the lyrics: “I’m an angel, I’m a demon, I’m a psycho for no reason” – we can all relate).
Sofia will be getting a nice tourism boost next year when it hosts the 2027 final, but what about poor Brussels? According to its residents, the Belgian capital is “underrated” as a city, and is in dire need of more footfall.
Unlike in Bruges, Venice or Barcelona, tourism isn’t seen as a scourge here. As Political Editor Maïthé Chini reports, a large majority (79%) of people surveyed by iVOX* see it as an important source of revenue for the city.
Personally, while I love living in Brussels, I can’t see it ever becoming a tourist hotspot. First, it lacks a picturesque waterway – vital, I think, for a city’s attractiveness (damn those 19th century city planners who paved over the Senne). Second, Brussels is synonymous with bureaucracy, something people generally want to escape from, not flock to for weekend breaks. In short, I think the good people at Visit Brussels have their work cut out.
One thing that might improve the city’s allure for visitors is reducing the amount of traffic on the roads. Brussels has made huge progress on this over the past few decades, and there’s good news on the horizon: next year, there will be not one, but two car-free Sundays in Brussels. However, as our News Editor Ugo Realfonzo reports, a row has erupted over the date of the second event. Read the full story here.
Elsewhere, Vincente Torre Hovelson looks into the rise of radical anti-smartphone groups in Brussels. You may have seen the provocative posters and stickers put up by the Radical Anti-Smartphone Front (RASF) around the city decrying our increasing digital dependency.
The RASF and groups like them encourage us to abandon smartphones, calling them a "poison" to our social lives and a killer of creativity, as well as a likely factor in the decline of literacy in developed nations. Find out more about the movement here.
As ever, if you have any comments, tips or suggestions to improve our coverage, please feel free to drop me an email at k.westwood@brusselstimes.com.
Bye for now!
Katie
*It should be noted that the survey was carried out on behalf of Airbnb, a company which isn’t exactly impartial on the matter of tourism.
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1. ‘Undertourism’? Brussels residents feel city is underrated by visitors
While many European capitals are seeking to curb the influx of visitors, the majority of Brussels residents believe that their city is underrated. Read more.
2. Brussels to get a second Car-Free Sunday next year despite date row
Brussels residents can count on a second Car-Free Sunday in 2027 – but a row has broken out over the proposed new date. Read more.
3. ‘Love instead of liking’: Europe’s radical anti-smartphone movement arrives in Brussels
Are smartphones poisoning our social lives, making us less connected and more susceptible to staying in our own digital corners? Read more.
4. ‘No place for hate in our streets’: Brussels Pride performers attacked in broad daylight
The artists were verbally and physically attacked in the city centre after performing at Brussels Pride on Saturday. Read more.
5. Belgian workers rate their salaries just 6.7 out of 10, survey finds
Employers themselves also appear unconvinced by the wages they offer, with both sides believing better opportunities may exist elsewhere. Read more.
6. Brussels hospital joins new evacuation plan for war or natural disasters
The project aims to prepare Belgium for medical evacuations during major events including military conflicts and natural disasters. Read more.
7. Dutch-language schools in Brussels are short on places again
More families have registered for Dutch-language secondary education in Brussels than there are places available, with a total of 959 children missing out. Read more.
