Noise complaints by local residents have caused the Belgian city of Bruges to take measures against loudspeakers used by tourist boats. The ban is set to go into effect from 2029 onwards in order to allow tourist guides enough time to adapt their equipment.
Every year, approximately 1.3 million tourists go on a guided boat tour through Bruges, also known as the Venice of the North. Most of the operators use speakers to provide visitors with information about the city’s history and culture. Yet tourists aren’t the only ones to catch the message.
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Locals, too, are hearing what the tourist guides are proclaiming, and they aren’t happy about it. According to the city council, many residents contact them by mail or phone in order to complain about the noise caused by the speakers on tourist boats.
This has led the city to announce a ban on the use of loudspeakers on boats as of 2029.
“This is an issue of balance and quality. We have held consultations with the relevant stakeholders and have sought to achieve the greatest possible consensus between the wishes of the city council, the interests of our residents and those of the ferry companies,” Minou Esquenet, Bruges’ alderwoman for Tourism, told the Belgian news agency Belga.
Although the council has yet to approve the measure, the decision isn’t likely to be overturned and should thus go into effect in a little over two years.
“This will give boat operators sufficient time to adapt to the new conditions. They are also free to choose how they do so. A system using headsets – such as those already used successfully by guides on sightseeing walks – is an option, but not a requirement,” continued Esquenet.
Although many locals will undoubtedly question the city’s decision to only introduce the ban in 2029, the news hasn’t been received enthusiastically by the companies operating the boats.
“The noise levels are already very low. But the current limit of 65 decibels is outdated. That’s roughly equivalent to the sound of a toilet flushing. On a Saturday, we transport 1,700 people. Providing them all with a working headset with a fully charged battery? That’s going to be difficult. And what about children? And what if it rains? It’s not that simple. But if the city council approves this, we’ll have no choice but to go along with it,” said Michiel Michielsens of the boat company Venetië van het Noorden in a statement to Belgian news outlet VRT NWS.
However, the city will not just be banning loudspeakers. Starting from 2027, the five boat companies operating the tourist tours will be able to increase their ticket prices to €17 instead of €15 per person. According to Minou Esquenet, the companies were asking for such a measure in order to invest in their infrastructure and to meet the city’s demand of being 100% electric by 2028 – at the moment, 16 out of 20 boats have met that requirement. With 29% of the ticket sales going directly towards the city of Bruges, however, the increased ticket price will also benefit the local treasury.
