Mice Insights

While the agency’s total funding would drop by 18%, the reduction could actually wipe out nearly 40% of its active promotional and marketing resources

By Viviane Vaz

MICE INSIGHTS (18 March 2026)

The future of the Belgian capital’s event scene hangs in the balance this week as the Brussels Parliament prepares for a vote on a 2026 budget that includes a cut to Visit Brussels.

Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès takes the floor today to defend a series of high-stakes policy notes that include a controversial overhaul of the city’s tourism and events strategy. Central to the session is the proposed €5.7 million budget reduction for Visit Brussels, a move the administration frames as a necessary “efficiency drive” to balance the regional books by 2029.

The regional agency, responsible for everything from supporting international congresses to local festivals like Bright Brussels and the Winter Wonders, is at the center of an austerity storm. The proposed measures — a €2.7 million immediate reduction followed by a €3 million cut in 2026 — have sparked fierce debate among lawmakers and industry leaders.

“Stopping the promotion and marketing of a destination simply means disappearing from the offer, and therefore disappearing from the global map of potential destinations: you are no longer a visible choice,” remarks Antony Jean-Mertens, Executive manager of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS).

Fiscal recovery x long term investment

Finance Minister Dirk De Smedt and Dilliès have defended the move as a painful but necessary step toward fiscal recovery. With the region facing a €1.2 billion deficit, the government’s goal is to reach a balanced budget by 2029.

“We are asking Visit Brussels to refocus on its essential missions,” the government stated, suggesting that funds must be redirected toward urgent regional priorities like public safety, cleanliness, and infrastructure.

On the other hand, MICE industry insiders, speaking to the newspaper Le Soir, described the cuts as a form of “budgetary asphyxiation.” They argue that reducing the budget for major events and international marketing will make it harder for Brussels to compete with other European hubs.

The ECTRIMS manager highlights that what brings misfortune to some will bring opportunity to others in an already highly competitive market. “These budget cuts and this short-term vision may seem necessary today, but they will likely prove very costly within the next 36 months,” adds Jean-Mertens.

Slicing the discretionary pie

A budget cut is often more damaging than it looks on paper because of 
fixed costs. For Visit Brussels, over half of its €31.5 million budget is locked into “non-discretionary” spending, such as staff salaries and office leases, which cannot be easily reduced.

When the government mandates an 18% cut to the total budget, that entire €5.7 million loss must be taken from the remaining “active” funds used for marketing, festivals, and international promotion. Consequently, while the total budget drops by 18%, the actual money available to promote the city and host events shrinks by nearly 40%, significantly weakening the agency’s ability to attract tourists and major congresses.

Industry insiders argue that these cuts are counterproductive, noting that for every €1 invested in MICE promotion, the city would typically see a return of over €20 in local spending and VAT revenue. “Bringing congresses to Brussels is not a cost, but a choice for direct return. While an ordinary tourist spends an average of €500 per stay, for a congress visitor, it is easily €1,000,” states the Event Confederation, the official umbrella organisation representing the Belgian event sector since the COVID-19 crisis.

The final decision rests with the Brussels Parliament, with the budget vote scheduled for March 26 and 27, 2026. If passed, the city may see a scaled-back calendar of public events.

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Visit Brussels stand at IMEX Frankfurt in 2025. Photo: Viviane Vaz.