Phone Calls Central to Brussels Promotion

To offset the drop in foreign tourism to Brussels in the wake of the terrorist arrests and subsequent lockdown that followed the attacks in Paris in November in 2015, Visit Brussels launched a tactic it hopes will make a difference.

The #CallBrussels campaign was designed to let locals convince visitors of the safety of their city.

Three phone booths were installed at the Mont des Arts, the Place Flagey and the Place Communale in Molenbeek so that passers-by could answer calls from foreign tourists. The calls were made to the phones from Jan. 7 through Jan. 11 via the website call.brussels, and a webcam filmed the interactions.

The films are broadcasted on call.brussels and will eventually be released internationally via social media.

"Over the past few weeks, the international media has portrayed Brussels as a war zone that tourists would do well to avoid," a statement from Visit Brussels read. "This has obviously had dire consequences for the tourist sector, which is currently experiencing a noticeable decline. Yet life goes on, and the European capital is as packed as ever with tourist and cultural activities."

"With the international #CallBrussels campaign, Visit Brussels aims to convince tourists intending to visit Brussels that there is no reason to revise their travel plans."

The promotion is a joint venture by Visit Flanders and Wallonie-Bruxelles Tourisme.