Bruges takes steps to stem mass tourism

After similar steps in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands and Barcelona, in Spain,  the Belgian city of Bruges announced that the municipality would no longer advertise or promote day trips to the city.

Dirk De fauw, the mayor of Bruges, and UNESCO world heritage site,is also going to cut back the number of cruise ships able to dock at nearby Zeebrugge from five a day to just two. Cruise companies will also be asked to dock during the week rather than at weekends to help spread the crowds.

Bruges had already tried to address the problem in the past. In 1996 there was a ban on building new hotels in the city centre, and in 2002 there was a prohibition on holiday homes.

De fauw was quoted telling the Flemish TV channel VRT that the local authorities want to control the influx of tourists more because there is a real fear of Bruges to becoming a complete Disneyland.

Bruges is visited by 8.3 million people a year, up 28% in the last two years, and yet just 2.5 million of those spend a night. Too few of those filling the cobbled streets and sun-dappled squares are spending money when they come, instead being shipped in and shipped out within hours of arrival, but also breaking the calm serenity of the city, De fauw said.

Via The Guardian