A joint union front, including Setca, CNE, and CGSLB, has criticised planned budget cuts to Brussels’ regional tourism agency, visit.brussels, warning they threaten a sector supporting 36,000 jobs and contributing €4.84 billion annually to the local economy.
In a joint statement, the unions condemned the Brussels-Capital Region government’s decision to reduce visit.brussels’ subsidies by €5.7 million in 2026. They also highlighted plans to progressively cut funding from €22 million to €8 million by 2029.
Union representatives argued these cuts are not just budgetary adjustments but a political decision with severe consequences for Brussels’ tourism, cultural, and events sectors. They noted that the city welcomed nearly 10 million overnight stays in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
The unions warned that the cuts could ultimately eliminate around 90 of the 160 positions currently at visit.brussels, threatening the livelihoods of workers across the economic chain, from field staff to freelancers, hotels, and cultural organisations.
They also pointed out that visit.brussels employees have already endured reductions since 2020, following previous budgetary constraints and anticipated savings, and deemed further cuts unjustifiable.
The union front has expressed support for initiatives launched by visit.brussels staff in protest. On Wednesday, employees posted an online petition opposing the budget reductions. A call for public mobilisation has also been issued for Friday at 12:00 pm at Place Saint-Jean near the Brussels Parliament.
