The new Walloon Tourism Code requires tourist offices to obtain certification to continue receiving regional subsidies, but questions remain about available resources, responsibilities, and sector changes.
To date, 94 certification applications have been submitted, with 45 approved, according to Walloon Tourism Minister Valérie Lescrenier.
However, she acknowledged that some tourist offices face challenges meeting all requirements under the new code.
One key challenge is the need to provide tourist reception services for at least 100 days per year, staffed by qualified and sufficiently numerous personnel.
While this requirement is not new, it has become harder to fulfil due to budget constraints, human resource pressures, and strained municipal finances.
Minister Lescrenier suggested extending the certification deadline, currently set for the end of June, as a reasonable solution.
This would give organisations more time to comply while allowing for a thoughtful and collaborative reform of the sector.
Legislator Caroline Desalle (Les Engagés) welcomed the minister’s acknowledgement of the difficulties faced by tourist offices, emphasising the need for flexibility.
She stressed that the shared goal is to ensure high-quality tourist services across Wallonia, while accounting for real-world limitations faced by local operators.
