Belgium’s Smart Tourism Evolution: From Ghent’s Award-Winning AR Cathedral Tour to Digital Hiking Networks in the Ardennes—A Traveler’s Guide to Tech-Enhanced Heritage

Belgium, renowned for its rich history, medieval towns, and breathtaking landscapes, is cautiously embracing digital transformation in its tourism sector. While the country is not yet a global leader in immersive tourism technologies, several pioneering initiatives demonstrate Belgium’s commitment to enhancing visitor experiences through thoughtful integration of digital tools. This measured approach promises to complement rather than replace traditional tourism experiences at Belgium’s cherished cultural landmarks.

A Gradual Digital Transformation in Belgian Tourism

Belgium’s tourism sector is experiencing steady growth, with the World Travel & Tourism Council forecasting the industry will contribute €38.9 billion to the national economy in 2025, representing 6.3% of GDP and supporting over 385,500 jobs. Within this context, Belgium is working to enhance digital connectivity and infrastructure while maintaining its authentic cultural character.

As part of the EU Digital Decade initiative, Belgium has developed a digital roadmap comprising 166 measures with a budget of €913.71 million. The country excels in gigabit coverage and has rapidly improved 5G infrastructure, surpassing EU averages. However, the focus on tourism-specific immersive technologies remains selective rather than comprehensive, with digital adoption varying significantly across different regions and attractions.

The emphasis has been on sustainability, digitalization, and wellness tourism, with particular attention to professional development and digital skills training for tourism workers through National Recovery and Resilience Plan funding.

Ghent: Leading Belgium’s AR Tourism Innovation

While Belgium’s adoption of immersive tourism technology is limited, one standout success story deserves recognition: the Ghent Altarpiece AR experience at St. Bavo’s Cathedral.

This award-winning augmented reality tour represents one of Europe’s most sophisticated museum AR implementations. Using Microsoft HoloLens 2 headsets, visitors embark on a 60-minute journey through the crypt of St. Bavo’s Cathedral, experiencing the rich history of the Ghent Altarpiece through holographic projections.

The experience allows visitors to witness Jan van Eyck’s workshop, observe historical events like the 1566 iconoclast attacks, learn about the Monuments Men’s recovery efforts after World War II, and explore intricate details of the altarpiece before viewing the actual masterpiece. With over 150 AR headsets in use simultaneously, this represents a unique technical achievement in museum technology.

The AR tour is available in nine languages, with special versions for children and art experts, and receives overwhelmingly positive reviews from visitors who appreciate how the technology deepens their understanding of the artwork’s historical significance.

Brussels: Emerging Immersive Cultural Experiences

Brussels is beginning to experiment with immersive technologies, though implementations remain limited to specific temporary exhibitions rather than permanent installations at major landmarks.

The Royal Military Museum is hosting “Napoleon, The Immersive Saga,” a world premiere ambulatory virtual reality experience running from February to August 2025. This 27-minute VR journey allows visitors to move freely within a 60-square-meter space, experiencing key moments from Napoleon’s life using cutting-edge virtual reality technology.

Additionally, the Galerie Horta presents “Jules Verne 200 – The Immersive Journey” until September 2025, featuring 3,500 square meters of monumental projections, a 25-minute 360-degree film, virtual reality experiences, and interactive settings recreating five of Verne’s novels.

The city also hosts temporary immersive exhibitions like “The Last Days of Pompeii,” which combines digital projections, virtual reality, and authentic artifacts at Brussels Expo.

Notably, Belgium’s major permanent attractions like the Royal Palace, Atomium, and Manneken Pis currently do not offer AR or VR experiences, instead relying on traditional tours and occasional 360-degree virtual tours accessible online.

Traditional Tourism Enhanced by Digital Tools

Rather than wholesale adoption of AR/VR at heritage sites, Belgium’s approach has been more pragmatic, focusing on digital infrastructure and planning tools that support rather than transform the tourism experience.

In Bruges and other medieval cities, the emphasis remains on preserving authentic historical experiences. While some tourism apps provide information and audio guides, the immersive AR experiences initially claimed for sites like the Belfry Tower and Gravensteen Castle do not currently exist.

Museums across Belgium are gradually incorporating digital elements, with touchscreens, 3D digitization projects, and occasional AR components, but these implementations are selective rather than systematic.

The Ardennes: Digital Tools for Nature Tourism

The Ardennes region, Belgium’s premier destination for nature tourism, has embraced digital technology in ways that complement rather than replace the outdoor experience.

A significant development came in October 2023 with the launch of a virtual hiking node network in Wallonia through the NodeMapp Hike app, covering over 12,750 kilometers of hiking trails. This system allows hikers to plan custom routes using numbered virtual nodes, download GPX files for navigation, and access real-time information about hunting areas that may affect trail accessibility.

Popular hiking apps like Komoot, Maps.me, and AllTrails provide detailed trail maps, difficulty ratings, and user reviews for Ardennes hiking routes. These digital tools help visitors navigate the region’s forests, rivers, and villages while maintaining the natural, unplugged character that makes the Ardennes special.

Unlike the article’s original claims, there are no geo-location-based AR experiences providing real-time information about flora and fauna, and Han-sur-Lesse caves continue to offer traditional guided tours with sound and light shows rather than virtual guides.

Belgium’s Pragmatic Approach to Digital Tourism

Belgium’s strategy differs from the aggressive immersive technology adoption seen in some other destinations. The Belgian Presidency of the EU Council in 2024 emphasized monitoring the Commission’s Transition Pathway for Tourism, focusing on sustainability, circularity, and the green and digital transformation of the sector.

Recent research from Brussels universities highlights the complex relationship between digitalization and tourism employment, noting that while digital adoption is important for competitiveness, stakeholders sometimes feel pressured to adopt technologies without fully considering consequences for sustainability and workforce implications.

Tourism professionals across Belgium express concern about educational structures keeping pace with rapid technological changes and whether the rush toward digitalization serves the sector’s long-term interests, particularly given tourism’s carbon footprint.

Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

Belgium faces several challenges in its digital tourism evolution. The World Travel & Tourism Council notes that while Belgium has opportunities in “enhancing digital connectivity,” the sector must balance this with sustainability goals. Research suggests Brussels may lag behind some European capitals in tourism digitalization, though this “delay” should be viewed critically rather than accepted as inherent weakness.

The tourism sector continues to face significant labor shortages, with 92% of tourism SMEs reporting difficulties hiring skilled staff. Digital skills training programs are being implemented to address these gaps, but the focus remains on practical applications that improve service delivery rather than flashy technological implementations.

Looking ahead, Belgium’s tourism industry growth is projected at 1.3% below the global rate for compound annual growth through 2035, suggesting that maintaining competitiveness will require strategic investments in both digital infrastructure and human capital.

Conclusion: A Measured Path Forward

Belgium’s approach to digital tourism represents a cautious, measured strategy that prioritizes authentic heritage experiences while selectively incorporating technologies that genuinely enhance visitor engagement. The spectacular success of the Ghent Altarpiece AR experience demonstrates what’s possible when technology is thoughtfully applied to deepen cultural understanding.

Rather than transforming every monument into a tech showcase, Belgium appears focused on sustainable tourism growth, digital skills development, and infrastructure improvements that support long-term competitiveness. This balanced approach may ultimately prove more sustainable than aggressive adoption of technologies that risk overshadowing the very cultural treasures visitors come to experience.

As Belgium continues its digital evolution, the emphasis on quality over quantity, depth over spectacle, and sustainability over novelty reflects the country’s broader cultural values—values that have made it a beloved European destination for centuries.

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