The Task Force

A Walloon task force has been working on developing a recovery plan dedicated to tourism. The taskforce is composed of the official bodies - “Commissariat general au Tourisme” (the Walloon administration of tourism) “Wallonia Belgium Tourism” (in charge of the promotion of Wallonia in Belgium and abroad) and representatives of the Minister of Tourism -, and works in collaboration with the private sector.

The Recovery Plan

The Minister of Tourism for Wallonia has in June taken different post containment measures to support the tourism sector (6,5 million €).

1. A promotional campaign on Wallonia

addressed to the public and which is made available to the tourist operators.  These ones can also adapt the visuals of the campaign, so that they become its ambassadors in their own territory.

The campaign will be launched in Belgium and gradually abroad.

2. A health safety protocol for tourism services and tourists 

which implements the guidelines of the National Security Council and is in line with the European recommendations.

Tools have also be made available for tourist stakeholders on:
- Sanitary measures
- Banking

3. Financial aid to the benefit of tourist operators

- Financial aid to tourist operators’ health measures implementation (to the benefit of authorized accommodation establishments and tourist attractions, and also to social tourism establishments).

- Reimbursement (with a maximum amount) of costs incurred and not recoverable by event organizers.

- Financial aid in tourist attractions and social tourism establishments maintenance costs incurred during closure due to the Covid19.

- The promotional actions or events organised by the “Maisons du Tourisme” (tourist offices at a greater scale) will be fully paid by the Walloon Government.  These actions should be in line with the philosophy of the promotional campaign (cf 1.).

Further actions by the Walloon administration

the Walloon administration of tourism also made different surveys to advise the Walloon taskforce: a consumer survey to know about tourist intentions after the Covid19, as well as a survey within the tourist professional associations to determine the sectors’ concerns and needs.

The Walloon administration of tourism is also pursuing its work of:

- monitoring the Covid19 impacts on the sector (data analysis and surveys)
- informing the tourist sector about the national and regional measures taken
- applying the different measures taken to support the sector.

Supporting Material

- Download their June 2020 measures in PDF.

- Access to their measures taken at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis

- Programme de soutien aux opérateurs touristiques