Better figures for Ypres museums, but Corona and Brexit have a major impact on memorial tourism

Foreign visitors also find their way back to Ypres and the museums. This number is still more than 30% lower than the number in 2019. Corona and Brexit have had a major impact on memorial tourism in the Westhoek.

In the Yper Museum, 16,233 visitors were counted to the main or permanent exhibition and 5,763 visitors to the temporary exhibitions in the Goliathzaal and the Expogang. A total of 21,996 visitors. A good result after the record year 2021 with the exhibition POES and quite comparable to the number of visitors in 2019.

Dimitry Soenen, Alderman of Museums: “Visitors to the Yper Museum mainly come from their own country (86%), but British, French and Dutch people also find their way. More than 80% of the visitors come as an individual or family. About 40% buy a combi ticket with the In Flanders Fields Museum. The numbers of memorial visitors to the Westhoek are on the rise, but a full recovery is certainly not yet in sight. This is also evident from the figures that Westtoer communicated at the beginning of November. With around 134,000 visitors, the In Flanders Fields Museum is still one of the better-visited museums in Flanders.”

Outlook

2023 should be a full year without travel restrictions. If economic or other macro factors do not throw a spanner in the works, a further recovery in memorial and other tourism is expected.