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flanders
“Visiting the European Parliament in Brussels may not be top of everyone’s list but the free tours are really informative and fun”
CHRIS HAGAN, HEAD OF OVERSEAS,
TRANSPORT AND ANCILLARIES PRODUCT AND CONTRACTING, SUPERBREAK
gastronomic experience. For the outdoor type there’s walking in the countryside and the more energetic can follow the route of the springtime Tour of Flanders cycle race.”
What’s new Attractions: The Nieuwpoort visitor centre is set to open in December. It will provide a detailed insight into the wartime fl ooding of the Yser plain. A ‘poppy bus’ service between Nieuwpoort and Ypres has been introduced for visitors to the region. De Gouden Boom brewery in Bruges has opened
a Brewery Museum housed in a 1902 malthouse. The mouth-watering Belgian Chocolate Village (
belgianchocolatevillage.be), one of the largest chocolate-themed attractions in
Europe, has just opened in Brussels. Tour Operators: Ramblers Holidays (
ramblersholidays.co.uk) introduced battlefi eld walking tours this year, and these will continue in 2015. Shearings Holidays (
shearings.com) has also introduced battlefi eld tours and Leger Holidays (
leger.co.uk) has expanded its
product to coincide with the centenary. Accommodation/Hotels: The 87-room Mercure Hotel (
accorhotels.com) has opened in Roeselare. It is ideally placed for those
visiting the Flanders battlefi elds. Marketing: The tourism authority is continuing its four-year commemoration of World War One, with new events and openings continuing through to 2018.
Flanders is also being promoted as a destination
for cycling, gastronomy and beer, with a dedicated brochure on beer events and brewery tours. Visit Flanders, which runs fams and workshops, has launched a new e-learning platform (fl
andersmater.com) for agents with prizes and incentives.
Tourism talk “In 2013 there were year-on-year increases of 4.9% in UK arrivals for Flanders and Brussels, that adds up to a
total of over 850,000 visits. “The fi gures for 2014 are looking even more positive, with increases for the fi rst four months running at 6.5%. “More and more British tourists are discovering what a fantastic destination Flanders is. Whether it is a weekend in one of the stunning art cities or a few days discovering the history of the Great War in Flanders Fields, Flanders offers high quality, authentic experiences, great value for money, easy travelling and a warm welcome.” Andrew Daines, Visit Flanders Director UK & Ireland
Where to book it KIRKER HOLIDAYS – 020 7593 1899
A three-night B&B stay at Hotel Duke’s Palace, the only five-star hotel in Bruges, leads in at £524pp in low season, with travel on Eurostar and onward rail travel from Brussels.
kirkerholidays.com SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS – 0844 824 6351 A four-night Bruges and battlefields of Flanders tour, staying at the Park Hotel Bruges, with break- fast, one lunch and two dinners, is priced from £469pp for May 2015, including coach travel from regional departure points.
shearings.com LEGER HOLIDAYS – 01709 833805 A four-night B&B Lille, Ypres, Bruges and Brussels
sellingtravel.co.uk
“Flanders is flourishing, it’s a great place to discover cuisine,
culture, art and history” LYNNE MCGRATH,
SALES EXECUTIVE, BMI REGIONAL
break is from £334pp for travel on December 1, including coach travel from UK departure points and visits to festive markets in Lille and Brussels.
agents.legerbookings.co.uk SUPERBREAK – 01904 436000 A two-night B&B stay at the Leopold Hotel Brussels is priced from £165pp in February 2015, including Eurostar rail travel from London St Pancras to Brussels.
superbreak.com/travelagent •
WHO FLIES THERE Direct from London and regional airports: aerlingus. com;
brusselsairlines.com;
bmiregional.com;
batraveltrade.com;
cityjet.com;
easyjet.com; fl ybe. com;
ryanair.com. Eurostar (
eurostar.com) operates daily services from London St Pancras to Brussels.
Previous page, clockwise from top left: horse and carriage ride in historic Bruges; war memorial at Ypres; a cemetery in Diksmuide. Above: cycling is popular in fl at Flanders; canal tour, Bruges; mussels are a popular delicacy.
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