Brussels City Council has announced that its flagship Winter Wonders festival, including the 2.5-km Christmas market, will run from 28 November 2025 to 1 January 2026. The late-November launch date aligns with airline winter schedules and is expected to draw more than 3 million visitors – many of them short-haul city-break travellers from neighbouring EU countries and the UK.
This year the market extends to Place de Brouckère, adding 40 new chalets and a dedicated gastronomy zone showcasing Belgian regional products. Visit.Brussels says hotel bookings for the opening weekend are already at 72 % capacity, up nine points on the same point last year. Eurostar and Thalys have both added services, while Brussels Airport reports winter seat capacity up 6 % on 2024.
For mobility managers organising incentive trips or expatriate holiday travel, the key constraints will be accommodation rates (currently tracking 18 % above 2024) and weekend rail availability, especially if the planned rail strike materialises later in November. Companies should lock in flexible fares and remind staff that 1 January is a public holiday with limited public transport.
Security will again feature: the city confirmed that bag checks and random ID controls will remain in place at main entry points, a practice introduced after the 2023 Christmas-market stabbing incident. Non-EU employees should carry residence cards even when travelling within Belgium to avoid delays.
The festival’s economic impact is significant – estimated at €260 million in direct spending – making it a bellwether for Belgium’s post-pandemic urban tourism recovery and an important factor for businesses reliant on expatriate and visitor footfall.
This year the market extends to Place de Brouckère, adding 40 new chalets and a dedicated gastronomy zone showcasing Belgian regional products. Visit.Brussels says hotel bookings for the opening weekend are already at 72 % capacity, up nine points on the same point last year. Eurostar and Thalys have both added services, while Brussels Airport reports winter seat capacity up 6 % on 2024.
For mobility managers organising incentive trips or expatriate holiday travel, the key constraints will be accommodation rates (currently tracking 18 % above 2024) and weekend rail availability, especially if the planned rail strike materialises later in November. Companies should lock in flexible fares and remind staff that 1 January is a public holiday with limited public transport.
Security will again feature: the city confirmed that bag checks and random ID controls will remain in place at main entry points, a practice introduced after the 2023 Christmas-market stabbing incident. Non-EU employees should carry residence cards even when travelling within Belgium to avoid delays.
The festival’s economic impact is significant – estimated at €260 million in direct spending – making it a bellwether for Belgium’s post-pandemic urban tourism recovery and an important factor for businesses reliant on expatriate and visitor footfall.
