Belgian Tourist Office joins International Council of Tourism Partners

HALEIWA, Hawaii, USA; BRUSSELS, Belgium; VICTORIA, Seychelles – The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) announced the Belgian Tourist Office has joined as a destination member.

HALEIWA, Hawaii, USA; BRUSSELS, Belgium; VICTORIA, Seychelles – The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) announced the Belgian Tourist Office has joined as a destination member.

The Belgian capital of Brussels is centrally located, making it the perfect home-base for domestic and Europe-wide travel. Brussels is 85 minutes from Paris, less than 2 hours from London, and 2.5 hours from Amsterdam. For domestic travel, the cities of Liege, Namur, Tournai, and Bruges are all about one hour from Brussels by train. Belgium has something for every budget. Many hotels offer packages with tickets to popular museums and local events. Even fine dining does not have to cost an arm, or a leg.

Annette Choynacki, Director USA & Canada of the Belgian Tourist Office, said: “Belgium is a destination that prides itself on its cultural richness, quaint towns, castles surrounded by lush green landscapes, and high-quality gastronomy created using locally-sourced ingredients. This new relationship is a harmonious balance of Belgium’s strongest qualities and ICTP’s mission of quality service and green growth.”

There are more castles per square mile in Belgium than anywhere else in the world. Beautiful castles to experience, formal gardens to get lost in, peaceful abbeys, and historic battlefields await visitors. Belgium offers visitors a rich cultural experience with a myriad of museums covering topics from art nouveau to history and comic strips to science – there is one catered to every imaginable taste.

Gastronomy in Belgium is an art. From street foods like frites or waffles with the toppings of your choice, to traditional dishes like croquettes or mussels, the choices are endless. Brussels is bursting with cafés to go enjoy a world-renowned Belgian beer, and the Grand Sablon Square is surrounded with shops from Belgium’s artisan chocolatiers. Wallonia, French-speaking Belgium, is a delight of local restaurants, affordable and charming inns, castles, and small breweries throughout the rolling countryside.

ICTP Chairman Juergen T. Steinmetz said: “Belgium is one of Europe’s must-see destinations, offering visitors a complete cultural experience with something to stimulate all of the senses. From history to festivals, there is something for everyone. The Belgian Tourist Office fits right in with ICTP’s philosophies and will be a valuable member of the alliance.”

For more information, go to www.visitbelgium.com .

ABOUT ICTP

The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) is a grassroots travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to quality service and green growth. The ICTP logo represents the strength in collaboration (the block) of many small communities (the lines) committed to sustainable oceans (blue) and land (green).

ICTP engages communities and their stakeholders to share quality and green opportunities including tools and resources, access to funding, education, and marketing support. ICTP advocates sustainable aviation growth, streamlined travel formalities, and fair coherent taxation.

ICTP supports the UN Millennium Development Goals, the UN World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, and a range of programs that underpin them. The ICTP alliance is represented in Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA; Brussels, Belgium; Bali, Indonesia; and Victoria, Seychelles. ICTP membership is available to qualified destinations free of charge. Academy membership features a prestigious and selected group of destinations.

ICTP has members in Anguilla; Aruba; Bangladesh; Belgium, Belize; Canada; China; Croatia; The Gambia; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Grenada; India; Indonesia; Iran; Korea (South); La Reunion (French Indian Ocean); Malaysia; Malawi; Mauritius; Mexico; Morocco; Nicaragua; Nigeria; Northern Mariana Islands (USA Pacific Island Territory); Sultanate of Oman; Pakistan; Palestine; Rwanda; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Trinidad & Tobago; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe; and from the US: Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Missouri, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

Partner associations include: African Bureau of Conventions; African Chamber of Commerce Dallas/Fort Worth; Africa Travel Association; Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association; Cultural and Environment Conservation Society; DC-Cam (Cambodia); Euro Congres; Hawaii Tourism Association; International Delphic Council (IDC); International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT); International Organization of Electronic Tourism Industry (IOETI); Positive Impact Events, Manchester, UK; RETOSA: Angola – Botswana – DR Congo – Lesotho – Madagascar – Malawi – Mauritius – Mozambique – Namibia – South Africa – Swaziland – Tanzania – Zambia- Zimbabwe; Routes, SKAL International; Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH); Sustainable Travel International (STI); The Region Initiative, Pakistan; The Travel Partnership Corporation; vzw Reis-en Opleidingscentrum, Gent, Belgium; as well as university and educational institute partners.

For more information, go to: www.tourismpartners.org .

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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