The tourism sector in Wallonia has reported a "very positive outcome" from the past Christmas holiday, according to Walloon Minister of Tourism, Valérie Lescrenier, on Sunday evening.
Initial figures reveal an increase in tourists visiting Wallonia for both overnight stays and activities.
The region attracted not only Flemish and French-speaking visitors but also foreign tourists, including Dutch, French, and German travellers.
The number of overnight stays saw a significant rise compared to last year, with data from the platform VISITWallonia showing an increase of 20% to even 40% in some cases for holiday homes and hotels.
Christmas markets, especially in Liège, Maredsous, Ciney, Mons, and Namur, were notably popular.
Ticket sales for attractions and museums on the VISITWallonia platform also exceeded last year’s figures, despite this channel representing only a small portion of the total sales.
The 80th anniversary of the ‘Battle of the Bulge’ was particularly successful, drawing between 100,000 and 120,000 visitors.
“The results are very encouraging for the sector. We approached record figures, indicating a positive dynamic and increasing attractiveness of the region,” said the minister.
