Brussels tourism declines in first half of 2026

Brussels experienced a slowdown in tourism during the first six months of 2026, characterized by a decrease in both overnight stays and visits to cultural attractions.

Hotels and youth accommodation providers recorded approximately four million overnight stays, a 3.47% decline compared to the same period in 2025. When including online rental platforms, total accommodation demand fell by 4.32% to approximately 4.4 million stays.

Visits to museums and tourist attractions saw a more significant drop of 9.73%, falling to 2.9 million visitors from 3.2 million the previous year. This decline was driven largely by reduced demand from key European markets, including the UK, Spain, and the Netherlands, which saw overnight stays drop by 6.4%, 8.93%, and 9.74% respectively. Conversely, some international markets such as Turkey, Italy, and Brazil recorded growth.