Summer was ‘difficult’ for Brussels hospitality industry: ‘Belgians no longer feel safe’

Detailed figures are still pending as the current quarter is still ongoing, but the initial trends for the past two months of summer appeared positive. The number of hotel stays rose by 3 per cent compared to the summer of 2024, and more people than last year are working in the hospitality industry. However, according to Horeca Brussels, these statistics paint a distorted picture.

‘Based on these two elements, you would think it was a good summer, but that is wrong,’ says David Debin, vice-chair of Horeca Brussels. ‘We saw more bankruptcies than new businesses opening. Overall, we feel sentiment was negative.’

Bankruptcies on the up

Debin attributes the increasing number of bankruptcies to profit margins, which continue to decline. ‘We are talking about a 10 per cent decline. Labour costs continue to rise – think of the double indexation of wages – as do the prices of energy and raw materials, while prices charged to customers have hardly changed,’ says Debin. ‘Many establishments are no longer profitable, which leads to a greater number of bankruptcies than in the past.’

According to Horeca Brussels, there is no obvious solution to declining profit margins. Raising menu prices is a sensitive issue. 'Either you change the concept and compromise on quality or quantity, or you raise prices, but that is very complicated. There is still a large number of businesses in Brussels, and competition remains fierce. We have to be creative, but there is no miracle cure."

The sector federation does see a ray of hope for Brussels hotels. The increase in the number of overnight stays is mainly due to the increase in the number of international tourists. However, Vice-Chair Debin also adds a negative note here.

Tourists spending less

‘There are more tourists, but they are spending less. People constantly hear negative stories in the media about one crisis or the another, so they are being very cautious. They want to travel more, but they are spending less,’ says Debin. ‘This is a general trend in restaurants: in the past, people would order an aperitif, a starter and/or dessert, but today more and more customers are limiting themselves to a main course.’

In addition to profitability – which is not only a challenge for Brussels hospitality businesses – Horeca Brussels sees a few other factors that contributed to a less successful summer. ‘The weather was quite changeable at times and there were slightly fewer events than in other years,’ says Debin. ‘In addition, we continue to see the effects of the differing school holidays in Flanders and Francophone schools. For French speakers, the school year starts a week earlier, and we immediately felt the impact in the hospitality industry.’

Shootings cast dark shadow

According to the sector federation, the resurgence of gun violence last summer is also having an increasing impact on the Brussels hospitality industry. Over the past two months, there have been more than 20 shootings in Brussels. These mainly took place in Anderlecht and Molenbeek, although there have also been shootings in the tourist centre this summer.

‘When we listen to our customers, we hear that people don’t feel safe and they are increasingly hesitant to come to Brussels. International tourists are still arriving, for the time being, but we hear from Belgian visitors that they are avoiding Brussels because of the situation and prefer to visit other cities such as Leuven or Namur,’ says Debin.

‘The hospitality industry is feeling the effects,’ Debin, who also runs a restaurant in the city centre, notes. ‘In the past, three-quarters of my clientele were Belgians and the rest were international tourists. Today, it's more like fifty-fifty. In addition to feeling unsafe, parking issues, mobility policy and the lack of cleanliness are also causing people to prefer to avoid Brussels.’

Looking forward to the Christmas markets

Whether the autumn will bring improvement for the Brussels hospitality industry remains to be seen. Horeca Brussels is already looking forward to Winter Wonders and other smaller Christmas markets. ‘For us, the period from September to December is the best part of the year. There is a lot going on and the Christmas market attracts many tourists, but everything depends on the climate and the security situation. Will calm have returned by then?’ Debin adds. ‘We don't hold many cards, but for us it's no longer about making a profit. Above all, we simply just want to maintain our position.’