Challenge, context & objectives
Belgium: A country with a damaged image and a damaged tourist industry...
By the end of 2016, after two years of terrorist attacks, Belgium's image was severely damaged, possibly beyond repair. The US President even called Brussels a "hell hole".
While global tourism grew +3.9% in 2016 and Western Europe declined a minimal -0.4%[1], Belgium's foreign arrivals plummeted -10.4% (8.354.753 in 2015 vs. 7.481.422 in 2016)[2].
The 2017 outlook was negative. Official terrorism threat levels in Brussels remained at level 3 (highest = level 4) and soldiers continued to patrol streets. On existing trends, Belgium projected...