The Belgian coast is bracing itself for an influx of visitors hoping to take advantage of the beautiful weather this weekend.
Several seaside towns will deploy additional police officers in order to avoid anticipated overcrowding at a time when strict coronavirus measures limit the number of people who can gather in one space.
“If there are too many people in one place, we can close some streets. I’d ask that people find a quieter place if they see that there are too many people somewhere,” said Ostend mayor Bart Tommelein.
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Ostend plans to use cameras to monitor crowd levels, as well as extra police.
Blankenberge and Knokke-Heist are also forecasting high attendance and will deploy additional officers.
“We have a lot of people who come to their second homes, and with the good weather we expect a lot of day tourists,” said Piet De Groote for Knokke-Heist. “If necessary, we can direct people to other localities in the municipality via digital panels.”
West Flanders’ tourist service Westtoer is calling on any visitors to consult the “busy barometer” in order to see real time reports on crowding in each town.
Helen Lyons
The Brussels Times
