“We have such a historical link to the British Commonwealth that this is incredibly painful,” continued Louagie. “It is more than just a business for us. It is an emotional and human story. Many of our British volunteers who have been coming for 30 years do not reach us now. That cuts down on those people, who generally don’t like him are the most. Young people. They don’t know if they are going to get there, so it gets very emotional. The longer it goes on, the worse it gets. There are even some of my volunteers from the UK who are hospitalized due to mental problems, because they don’t come here anymore. “

British-Australian Sharon Evans and her husband Philippe Uyttenhove run Quasimodo Tours in Bruges. They organize day trips for English speaking tourists from the area. “More than 75 per cent of our customers are British,” Evans says, but now they are not there. “We would like the restrictions to be lifted. British people who have been vaccinated are as safe as you and I,” added Uyttenhove. Pauline Vanoverschelde from the Hotel Pax in Diksmuide was also at the protest. “Time is running out. Winter is just around the corner and we want to have perspective as soon as possible: will they come or not?”

Tourism actors in the region hope to get an answer to this question as soon as possible.