Bruges, where heritage and innovation go hand in hand

24 Dec 2025

Bruges is not only a historic and touristically attractive city, but is also increasingly focusing on creativity, innovation and a high-quality conference experience, from which you, as a conference organiser, definitely benefit.

Strong appreciation and position as a conference destination

A recent survey by Tourism Flanders, in which Bruges and six other Flemish conference cities participated from September 2024 to July 2025, shows that conference organisers give our city a score of no less than 9.5/10. Conference participants also appreciate Bruges as a conference destination, with a high overall satisfaction rating of 8.9/10, thanks to the city's human scale, historical experience and modern facilities.

Our UNESCO World Heritage city is an inspiring environment that stimulates creativity among conference participants.

Innovation in the city and enrichment of the visitor experience

📊 Smart tourism & digital innovation

Bruges was nominated with 6 other destinations for the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2026, with initiatives focusing on digital experiences and sustainable mobility.

Data-driven solutions (such as crowd insights and digital platforms) improve visitor flows.
Immersive technology projects make heritage more interactive, a source of inspiration for creative formats.

🌱 Sustainability as innovation

Many accommodation and conference venues in Bruges have been awarded the Green Key sustainability label. This offers opportunities to integrate sustainability into your conference approach.

💻 Strong regional base for mechatronics & ICT

Bruges and the West Flanders region have a growing innovation and mechatronics ecosystem that is relevant for conference organisers, R&D partners and companies that want to highlight themes related to technology and innovation. Within the district of Bruges, the number of employees in mechanical engineering & mechatronics is significantly higher than in other parts of Flanders.

📍 Importance of mechatronics and high-tech

• KU Leuven Campus Bruges has specialised laboratories for mechanical engineering and mechatronics that focus on Industry 4.0 technologies, such as cyber-physical systems and smart automation. These laboratories are used for research with business and research partners. More information: KU Leuven Campus Bruges.

• Within the M-Group, mechatronic systems, sensors and robotics components are researched in collaboration with industry partners. More information: KU Leuven Campus Bruges.

• There are projects that combine AI, sustainability and mechatronics to optimise processes (e.g. in agriculture and manufacturing), which offers opportunities to showcase innovative practical cases at conferences.

• Brugge.Inc is an incubator community founded by the city of Bruges, Voka and POM West Flanders. They support start-ups and scale-ups at the intersection of mechatronics, IT and other technologies, with coaching, accommodation and access to networks. More info: Brugge Inc.

One example of such a start-up is Ikologik, which digitises production processes and develops data-driven production optimisation. A fine example of innovation in a mechatronics-related context. More info: Ikologik.

• VIVES' mechatronics group collaborates with POM West Flanders, Sirris, Flanders Make, Agoria and industrial partners (such as Quicksand and ExRobotics). More info: Vives.

• Bruges is collaborating with organisations such as imec and VITO on a digital twin prototype of the city. This virtual model supports policy and urban innovation (air quality, mobility, etc.) and shows how data-driven technology enables new applications in urban contexts. An interesting topic for conferences on smart cities, sensor technology and urban tech. More info: digital twin.

• Since March 2022, the city of Bruges (with the Visit Bruges Convention Bureau), the university KU Leuven and the Bruges Meeting & Convention Centre have been joining forces to put Bruges on the map as an academic conference destination. The 2nd edition of the International Conference on High-Speed Vehicle Science & Technology and the 14th meeting of the EAU Robotic Urology Section (ERUS17) were organised in Bruges.

ICT conferences in Bruges

EXRS – European Conference on X-Ray Spectrometry.
Engage Conference.
ICU – International Congress on Ultrasonics.

👉 Why are these economic growth sectors interesting for your conference? Think of guided tours, keynote speakers or panel discussions, workshops, demo sessions and start-up showcases.

👥 Network partners

Brugge.Inc and local incubators.
Provincial organisations such as POM West Flanders.
Research institutions such as KU Leuven Campus Bruges, Howest Bruges, VIVES.

Unique and inspiring venues

Bruges has several Flanders Heritage Venues that can enhance creativity and innovation through their character, experience and sustainability:

Bruges Meeting & Convention Centre: a state-of-the-art conference centre with a focus on multifunctionality, sustainability (Green Key label) and accessibility (M+ label).
La Brugeoise: a former industrial site. Ideal for dinners, networking events and seminars.
Other inspiring venues: Concertgebouw Brugge, Provincial Palace, St. Magdalene's Church.

By choosing venues that offer more of an experience than a standard conference room, you can encourage participants to think outside the box.

The Visit Bruges Convention Bureau team takes care of everything for you when organising your conference

Thanks to the team's professional and personal approach, organisers experience Bruges as a reliable partner city:

Free and targeted support.
Assistance in drawing up a bid book.
Establishing contact with partners and experts.
Overview of prices and availability of hotels and venues.
Suggestions for creative activities or innovative social programmes.
Support via a subsidy programme with a reception at the town hall for international conferences.
Guidance during an impact process by Flanders Convention Bureau.