Flanders and West Flanders invest 8 million euros in First World War remembrance tourism

Visit Flanders and the province of West Flanders will invest eight million euros in First World War remembrance tourism in the coming years. The In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres will undergo a complete renovation, while several other sites and museums across the Westhoek will also be upgraded.

Thanks to the commemoration of the First World War, the Westhoek region enjoys a strong international reputation. In 2024, remembrance tourism attracted more than 352,000 visitors, with 30 per cent coming from the United Kingdom. Belgians, Dutch, Canadians and Australians also regularly visit the region’s museums and cemeteries. Since the centenary of the Great War, numerous sites in the area have been opened or renovated.

"After more than ten years, it's time to give these places a new impetus, so they remain relevant for peace education and maintain their international standing," said Provincial Executive Member Jurgen Vanlerberghe, who is also chairman of Westtoer.

To that end, Flemish minister of tourism Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) and the province of West Flanders will launch a joint call for projects in the spring of 2026. The initiative will focus on the renovation and improved accessibility of museums and remembrance sites, with a total of four million euros in subsidies earmarked.

"With extremists like Putin and Trump at the helm, you can see the threat coming right at us"

A further four million euros will be allocated to the complete overhaul of the In Flanders Fields Museum. The goal is to transform the Ypres-based institution into a contemporary, cutting-edge museum with an entirely new design, ensuring it remains the leading reference point for First World War heritage in Flanders.

According to Depraetere, the message of the memorial museums is more important today than ever. "With extremists like Putin and Trump at the helm, you can see the threat coming right at us," she said. "That's why we must continue to invest in commemorating that history. To remember that we must always continue to fight for our freedom and security."

_{#FlandersNewsService | 13th century Gothic Cloth Hall, belfry and In Flanders Fields Museum at city Ypres, reconstructed after World War One, West Flanders, Belgium © PHOTO ARTERRA}

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