Flanders sees steady rise in tourism with 15.4 million visitors in 2025

24 March 2026

An estimated 15.4 million people visited Flanders last year, marking a 3 per cent increase compared to 2024, according to preliminary figures released by Visit Flanders on Tuesday. The number of overnight stays also rose, reaching 36.3 million.

Visitor numbers increased both domestically and internationally. In 2025, Flanders welcomed 7 million domestic tourists, a rise of 2 per cent, alongside 8.3 million international visitors, representing a growth of 3 per cent.

The majority of international visitors came from neighbouring countries, led by the Netherlands (1.9 million visitors), followed by Germany (1.1 million) and France (1 million).

Neighbouring countries dominate international tourism

International tourists primarily visit the culture cities of Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Leuven and Mechelen, while Belgian visitors tend to favour the coast. When broken down by province, West Flanders recorded the highest number of arrivals, with 4.3 million. Antwerp followed with 2.7 million visitors, while Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders each registered around 1.5 million.

Flemish museums and attractions welcomed 27.4 million visitors (+0.9 per cent). Just under 40 per cent of visits were to outdoor attractions, including amusement parks, zoos and recreation or nature parks. Museums alone accounted for 6.8 million visitors.

Visitor numbers to Flemish museums continue to rise

The number of visits to museums subsidised by the Flemish government continues to rise, according to figures published on Friday by Statistics...

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The most popular attractions remain Plopsaland De Panne, St Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent and canal cruises in Bruges.

Flemish minister of tourism Hans Bonte (Vooruit) welcomed the figures. "Our tourism continues to grow, and that is a huge boost for our hospitality sector and entrepreneurs. Both domestically and abroad, we are able to charm more and more people with our extensive tourist offerings." He added that the focus will now shift to affordability, ensuring that vulnerable families can also enjoy a day trip or weekend away.