Antwerp Hotel Expansion: 75 New Properties, 5,823 Rooms, Didier Boehlen Voices Concerns

Antwerp (Eurotoday): Antwerp now has 75 hotels with 5,823 rooms, up from 65 hotels in 2019. However, occupancy rates are below 70%. Didier Boehlen from the hotel association is concerned and wants to attract more conferences. The city plans to manage Airbnb and support new upscale hotels like Van der Valk and Botanic Sanctuary to increase tourism.

A few years ago, the Park Lane luxury care center in Antwerp lost its permit because of staff shortages and building issues. The building stayed empty until the Dutch hotel chain Van der Valk turned it into a luxury hotel, which has now opened. Another hotel is opening where the old Zillion nightclub was, and the Hilton Hotel is expanding. In 2019, Antwerp had 65 hotels with 4,946 rooms, but by May 2024, there are now 75 hotels with 5,823 rooms. Didier Boehlen from the Antwerp Hotel Association says there aren’t enough tourists to fill all these rooms, especially during the week.

How is Antwerp addressing low hotel occupancy rates?

Antwerp’s hotel federation is worried about low hotel earnings and usage rates below 70 percent. Didier Boehlen said they want to attract more conferences to bring in tourists. Ghent, which stopped new hotels, and Antwerp plans to control Airbnbs to prevent them from taking over. Boehlen believes this is important to keep tourism positive for residents.

Antwerp’s hotel federation thinks no new hotels should open for now, focusing instead on filling existing ones. Alderman Koen Kennis agrees but won’t rule out new projects if they meet market needs. Recently, hotels like Van der Valk and the five-star Botanic Sanctuary have added upscale rooms, which Kennis is happy about. This allows visitors, such as those attending concerts, to stay in Antwerp instead of traveling to Brussels. He believes there’s no oversupply in the high-end hotel market right now.