Brussels hotels banking on busy summer thanks to proximity to Paris Olympics

Hotels in Brussels are optimistic visitor figures will be boosted this summer by the Olympic Games being staged in Paris, reports Bruzz.

The Belgian capital expects to benefit from visitors to the Games having difficulty finding hotel rooms in and around the French capital. The Paris 2024 Olympics will be taking place between 26 July and 11 August.

"At the moment it is still too early to give figures, but that will change around Easter. From then on, we expect a real overflow, because the hotels in Paris and surrounding cities will start to fill up," said Yves Fonck of the Brussels Hotels Association. "The Eurostar to Brussels is often faster than an RER train to the suburbs."

Meanwhile, tourist association visit.brussels is preparing its own promotion. "An image campaign has been set up to profile us as a complementary destination for those who go to Paris," said spokesman Jeroen Roppe, even if he points out that there’s no intention to compete with the French city.

The tourism office is confident, though, that the Games could be beneficial. "We have already seen, for example, that a large conference that traditionally takes place in Paris in the summer now chooses Brussels."

The Belgian capital has already signed a media partnership with Eurostar publication Metropolitan. Talks are also underway with Eurostar to ensure that passengers from Paris can travel smoothly to Brussels at democratic prices.

"In any case, there are numerous signs that are positive for Brussels, but from March it will become clearer what the further impact will be for the city," Roppe concluded.

Photo: Usain Bolt and Tony Estanguet on banks of the Seine ahead of Olympic Games ©Paris2024