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31st July 2019

VISITFLANDERS joins the Guild

VISITFLANDERS, the official tourism marketing agency for Flanders and Brussels, Belgium is delighted to join the British Guild of Beer Writers as a corporate member.  It is the first tourism agency to join the Guild.

It was in Flanders that the idea to form the Guild was first conceived by the late Michael Jackson in the historic Beertje Bruges pub, in Bruges. Indeed Michael Jackson’s special fondness for Belgian beer helped put its culture in the spotlight in the 1970’s, leading to prodigious global recognition.

In fact, families and breweries here have been creating some of the world’s most interesting beer varieties for generations. Styles range from Trappist, IPA’s and lambic and gueuze beers, Flemish reds, fruit beers, dubbels and tripels, not to mention its countless other varieties. Belgium now has over 200 active breweries contributing to a wide appeal for beer enthusiasts with different taste profiles. Even the taste of each beer is complemented with its own dedicated glass to enhance its individual taste. Belgium’s ground-breaking reputation for quality craftmanship was recognised in 2016,  when UNESCO<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCO> inscribed Belgian beer culture<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_beer_culture> on their list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCO_Intangible_Cultural_Heritage_Lists>. Visitors to the region are encouraged to visit its many breweries and museums and indulge in its rich selection of beer tasting and complementary beer gastronomy.

Commenting on the new membership, Andrew Daines, VISITFLANDERS Director UK and Ireland said “We are delighted to be the first tourism authority to join the Guild. Our passion for the brewing industry, innovation in its production and the firmly rooted heritage in our region, makes this union a natural fit. For centuries, the region has built a reputation on its beer-making culture which in turn, attracts thousands of international visitors. Flanders is proud of its abundance of beers which continually surprise, inspire and educate an audience from even the most ardent of beer experts.

“We very much hope our membership will encourage guild members to enhance their insight into our beers, and investigate more of what Flanders has to offer.”

-ends-

Further information:

Anita Rampall

Press manager

anita.rampall@visitflanders.com