| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 08/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 49 |
| Copyright: Other |
2000 events
Sports and arts to put Ardennes on the map
THE Belgian Tourist Office Brussels and Ardennes is looking forward to a busy year with a raft of special events to put the area on the map.The Euro 2000 football tournament in June will focus attention on the town of Spa, the world’s first health resort which will be the home of the English team.
Spa will fall under the spotlight again in August, when the Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix is staged at its Francorchamps circuit.
Two important art events are also guaranteed. Running from mid-October, Liege will host a Picasso exhibition while Seneffe Castle, just south of Brussels, stages an extensive exhibition of Swiss sculptor Giacommetti’s work.
The office’s on-going programme of educationals for tour operators is also paying off, with more operators introducing the Ardennes to their programmes. The next familiarisation trip will focus on the local cuisine of Marche, Arlon and Spa, with the aim of encouraging more special-interest breaks.
To this end, an advertising campaign focusing on the food and drink of Ardennes will be launched in June.
In the meantime, P&O Holidays has expanded its programme with the launch of a free shuttle service from Zeebrugge to Brussels and a new self-drive programme centering on Liege and Spa.
Travelscene’s Drivetime 2000 brochure similarly features the towns of Bouillon and Dinant for the first time.
Director of Ireland and the UKMichel Mignon wants to encourage travellers to discover the landscape. “You can drive 31 miles outside of Brussels and enjoy countryside that offers something completely different: there’s skiing, canoeing and walking,” he said.