The first phase of the redevelopment is expected to open in the early 2030s, while new projects will continue to be introduced into the 2040s. The plans also support Singapore’s Tourism 2040 strategy and coincide with the future opening of Changi Airport’s Terminal 5, which will significantly increase the country’s passenger capacity. Rather than simply adding more attractions, the redevelopment aims to create a destination where entertainment and nature complement each other. “We are reimagining what Sentosa can become for decades ahead, an island transformed, connected and sustained,” said Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu. She added that the masterplan will “redefine Greater Sentosa as Singapore’s island playground, bolder, livelier and more exciting than before.”

One of the biggest additions will be Pulau Brani, a 120-hectare island next to Sentosa that is currently occupied mainly by port facilities. Once port operations move to Tuas Port, the area will be redeveloped into what officials describe as the region’s next-generation leisure destination. One of its largest development sites, Brani West, has been reserved for what the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) calls “game-changing attractions”, although details have not yet been revealed. Resorts World Sentosa will also continue its expansion with its Waterfront Lifestyle Development and the opening of Super Nintendo World, both expected in 2030.

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Visitors can also look forward to several new attractions across Sentosa itself. Along Siloso Beach, the new Sensorium will combine indoor attractions, green public spaces and a flexible venue for festivals, concerts and other events throughout the year. Nearby, the Imbiah Canopy will become a new hilltop destination with restaurants, shops, attractions and sheltered event spaces overlooking Sentosa, Pulau Brani and Singapore’s Southern Waterfront. One of the first projects to open will be the Imbiah Lookout Walk, a sheltered elevated forest canopy trail connecting the award-winning Sensoryscape to Imbiah Lookout and a wider network of walking trails.

Nature and sustainability remain central to the redevelopment plans. Over time, SDC intends to connect the forests of Sentosa, Pulau Brani and Serapong into one continuous green corridor, which will eventually link to Singapore’s Southern Ridges on the mainland. New hotels will also be designed with greater greenery integration to blend into the island’s landscape. “Energy and restoration are not opposites,” according to SDC, describing the philosophy that will guide future developments by combining vibrant attractions with spaces for relaxation and nature.

The island’s coastline will also undergo major changes in the coming years. Siloso Beach will be the first to be rejuvenated, followed by Palawan and Tanjong beaches. Plans include new beach clubs, treetop dining experiences and multi-purpose event spaces that will allow activities to continue from sunrise until late in the evening. Offshore, six existing islets will eventually be connected by floating boardwalks, creating a new island-hopping route while also supporting coastal protection measures against rising sea levels.

Getting around Greater Sentosa will become easier as part of the redevelopment. A new Island Heart transport hub will connect mainland Singapore with both Sentosa and Pulau Brani, serving as the main arrival gateway for visitors. The waterfront hub will feature a large solar-powered canopy, as well as hotels, restaurants and public spaces. The existing 2.1-kilometre Sentosa Express monorail will eventually be replaced by a new People Mover System with a greater passenger capacity, while the Singapore Cable Car will continue operating. SDC is also exploring additional transport options, including water taxis, to improve connectivity across the expanded destination.

Protecting the island’s character remains one of SDC’s priorities as Greater Sentosa continues to evolve. “We want to create the next generation of world-class experiences inspired by our beautiful coastlines, our greenery, our heritage, our sense of escape, as well as the Singapore identity,” said SDC chief executive Thien Kwee Eng. “At the same time, we want to grow Sentosa thoughtfully, and protect the island’s soul, while making it easier to explore, to access and to enjoy.” As new attractions continue to open over the coming decades, the masterplan aims to position Greater Sentosa as one of Asia’s leading leisure destinations while offering visitors a broader mix of entertainment, nature and cultural experiences.

L’article Singapore unveils Greater Sentosa masterplan with new attractions and greener experiences est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The little critter appears to be moving a little too close to Europe’s shores for comfort, and could become a serious hazard for the millions heading to the coast in search of relief from one heatwave after another as we officially enter the summer holidays this week.

Known scientifically as the Vibrio bacterium, this microorganism is found in warm, brackish coastal waters, a mix of fresh and salt water found in estuaries, lagoons and river mouths, precisely the kind of shallow, warmer waters where children often like to swim.

@fidget.club5 Would u visit this beach in summer ? #uk#heatwave#summertime#crowded #beach ♬ original sound – Fidget Club

Not unlike other families, not all Vibrio bacteria are a hazard, and most are harmless. This one’s black sheep is Vibrio vulnificus, dubbed the “flesh-eating bacteria” by the media, which can cause severe skin infections. In rare cases, it may prove fatal, particularly in people with open wounds, weakened immune systems or chronic liver disease.

A recent study from the Gulf of Gdańsk found V. vulnificus most commonly hitching rides on medical waste, plastic film and cigarette butts floating in coastal waters, but not on food packaging, in other words, on the detritus people leave in and around the sea.

European institutions are worried. In the most severe cases, untreated infections can lead to necrotising fasciitis – a rare condition in which bacteria rapidly destroy skin, fat and tissue surrounding muscles – as well as bloodstream infections, sepsis and even amputations, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The agency warned of an “increased risk of Vibrio infections throughout the summer season”, particularly during heatwaves.

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“The Mediterranean is showing us what a hotter world represents,” Haim Aznague, analyst for Projects, Climate Action and Energy Resilience at the Union for the Mediterranean, told Euronews, suggesting that countries bordering the sea may eventually need a coordinated response.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) warned that Vibrio can also be found in seafood, with some strains causing gastroenteritis and, in severe cases, fatal infections. The ECDC advises avoiding raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters.

The Mediterranean is among the fastest-warming seas on the planet, heating roughly 20% faster than the global ocean average, creating ideal conditions for harmful bacteria.

Europe has recorded a rise in Vibrio infections over the past two decades, and global numbers are expected to climb. The highest concentrations are currently found in the Baltic Sea, the Baltic-North Sea transition waters and the Black Sea, as well as coastal areas near major river inflows.

Aznague describes the Mediterranean as a “preview of climate change” rather than simply one of its victims.

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No European beaches have yet been closed because of Vibrio, but closures linked to pollution and other health alerts have become increasingly familiar in recent years.

Such measures affect not only holidaymakers but also local economies that depend heavily on summer tourism, from hotels and restaurants to water sports operators and other coastal businesses.

“A closed beach is a climate impact that comes with a bill attached”, warns Aznague, adding that “a reputation that takes years to rebuild”.

The Mediterranean was Europe’s most visited tourist region in 2024, recording 747 million international arrivals according to UN Tourism data. The ECDC now uses an interactive map, updated daily with a five-day forecast, to track the spread of the bacteria across European waters.

L’article Heatwaves and warming seas raise flesh-eating bacteria risk at European beaches est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

According to the Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland network (GLAMOS), every additional day of melting between now and October, when the first new snowfalls normally return to the Alps, will directly reduce the size of Swiss glaciers.

Data collection on what is known as “glacier loss day” began more than twenty years ago. It is perhaps somewhat reassuring that this year’s date is not the earliest on record: that unfortunate distinction still belongs to 26 June 2022.

GLAMOS director Matthias Huss warned on Friday, however, that Swiss glaciers are currently in a very bad shape and are melting at an unprecedented rate.

“We are just seeing enormous ablation, ice melt rates and snow melt rates all over the Alps,” Huss said, adding that conditions were “three months too early compared to a healthy state.”

The Alps have been shrinking for the past 170 years, but the pace has accelerated sharply in recent decades as temperatures have risen across Europe while snowfall has declined.

This year, the average snowfall over the glaciers was about 25% below the average recorded between 2010 and 2020. It matters because once the snow cover is gone, the glacier itself, essentially the darker grey ice underneath, becomes exposed and dark ice absorbs solar radiation far more readily than reflective snow, accelerating the melt.

Huss explained that he had recently returned to the Rhône Glacier and was struck by the changes he had witnessed in only ten days.

“There was one metre of ice melted in the vertical direction – one metre of melting within just the last 10 days,” he said.

“It’s very impressive to see, and this is just the effect of the heatwave.”

“The more days that are added with very high temperatures, not even mattering whether it’s 35 °C or 40 °C, this is just very bad for the glaciers.”

According to Huss, the “very bad state of the glaciers at the moment” results from a “combination of bad circumstances”, including reduced snowfall and the arrival of Saharan dust in March, which darkened the snow surface and sped up melting even before summer began.

Europe experienced record-breaking temperatures across many countries over the past week, with temperatures rising above 40 °C in several regions. The heat tested energy grids, emergency services and hospital systems and proved fatal for about 1,300 people across the continent.

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Europe remains particularly ill-prepared for such extreme heat events. And glaciers are not prepared at all.

Forecasts suggest another spell of unusually hot weather could return later in July, raising fears that the summer’s worst may not yet be over.

Switzerland has already lost around 1,200 glaciers over the past 50 years and now has only around 1,300 remaining.

Huss predicted that “if warming continues as it did over the last decades, by 2100 we will only be left with some little remnants of ice”.

L’article Swiss glaciers melting at alarming rate after record European heatwave est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

With temperatures exceeding 40°C, authorities in Paris, which regularly tops rankings of the most visited city in Europe, have had to announce early closing times for the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.

The Eiffel Tower is usually open into the early hours in summertime, but visitors hoping to experience a romantic evening or sunset at one of the best-known and loved monuments in the world were unable to do so on Tuesday, 23 June, after the tower’s management declared an exceptional early closure at 4 pm, with last entries just after midday.

The change to usual service continued on Wednesday, and the tower’s website published a “Weather Alert” explaining: “Due to the high temperatures forecast, the Eiffel Tower will be adjusting its operations. Wednesday, June 24, Thursday, June 25 and Friday, June 26: the Eiffel Tower will exceptionally close at 4:00 PM. Last entry at 12:15 PM. Restaurants: Last entry at 1:30 p.m.”

Due to the tower’s popularity, it is common for visitors to book entries in advance. Prepaid visitors would be reimbursed, the website promised, noting: “Visitors with tickets for a visit from noon (for the stairs) and 12:30 PM (for the elevators), please check your email inbox. Your visit will be automatically refunded.”

The website also reminded readers to take precautions in the severe heat. “Remember to protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated,” it said, adding: “Water fountains are available in the walkways leading to the plaza.”

Over at the Louvre, home to Leonardo da Vinci’s world-famous Mona Lisa, management followed suit on Tuesday, closing the museum early at 4 pm until at least Saturday, and explaining that the museum is “vulnerable and is not sufficiently adapted to climate change.” Last admissions are at 2 pm. Again, purchased tickets for individual visitors and groups of visitors with reservations for time slots after that time will be automatically refunded to the account used for payment, the Louvre website said.

Chers visiteurs,

En raison de la canicule et pour vous garantir des conditions de visite agréables aux heures les plus chaudes de la journée, le musée du Louvre fermera exceptionnellement ses portes de manière anticipée à 16h au lieu de 18h du mercredi 24 juin au samedi 27… pic.twitter.com/nYB8Z1Ng93

— Musée du Louvre (@MuseeLouvre) June 23, 2026

It’s not the first time the Louvre has had to close its doors at short notice. In 2025, the museum closed suddenly on multiple occasions, as staff walked out due to the pressure of high visitor numbers, infrastructure issues, and a jewellery heist, which also prompted shutdowns.

Elsewhere in France, high-profile attractions are taking similar measures to those in the capital. Mont Saint Michel, the country’s most visited spot outside the capital, has warned visitors to postpone their visits during the hot weather alert, since the picturesque Norman island has steep, narrow medieval streets and 360 steps.

Even beachside destinations are alerting visitors to the dangerous conditions. The Dune du Pilat on Arcachon Bay in the Gironde has warned the heatwave “requires everyone to exercise the utmost caution,” and lists “essential actions” which include avoiding climbing the Dune during the hottest hours since “on the ridge there is no shade or water source, the sand becomes scorching hot, and the effort is greater in the heat.”

The Dune authorities also recommend regular hydration and protective clothing, and note that there is an orange alert for forest fires, so parking is prohibited along the access roads and in the forest area.

Eurostar is running a reduced service between London and Paris, and travel in general across Europe is impacted by the heat, with many national trains cancelled due to the risk to infrastructure.

L’article Tourist attractions in France shut down due to extreme heat est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The heatwave is forecast to last for at least a week, as hot air from the Sahara pushes temperatures between five and 10 degrees above the average for this time of year. Some of the region’s most popular tourist spots will be hit by the unseasonal warmth, which is predicted to hit 44°C in parts of Spain — a country that welcomed a record-breaking 96.8 million international visitors in 2025. Those who have chosen to stay away from traditionally hotter areas will not escape. San Sebastian in the north will see temperatures double the usual.

France banned drinking at the Fête de la Musique this weekend, cancelled trains, and suspended school classes, because a heat dome parked over Western Europe and pushed 35 of the country's departments to the highest heatwave alert. Portugal and Spain are forecast to hit 45°C.… pic.twitter.com/85S3yqccUx

— Skander Garroum (@skagarroum) June 22, 2026

Over half of France, the world’s most touristed nation, is labouring under the severe conditions, trains are running reduced timetables, and hundreds of schools are shut early. That in itself is a situation that creates other risks, as parents struggle to find childcare, and coastal areas and rivers become, in some instances, fatal attractions for youngsters and inexperienced swimmers. Météo-France has said there will be no immediate let-up of the “widespread, long-lasting and intense” heat.

Italy has issued warnings for 12 cities, including beloved tourist destinations such as Florence, Rome, and Venice, as well as Milan, where Fashion Week events are underway.

Other historically cooler European nations are also affected. The United Kingdom’s Met Office is among the authorities issuing a red warning, forecasting temperatures of 38°C on Wednesday and Thursday, while in Belgium, train operator SNCB/NMBS cancelled rush hour trains for Monday and Tuesday to prevent severe infrastructure damage and dangerous conditions for passengers. Intense heat causes steel rails to expand and potentially buckle, while overhead power lines can sag and touch trains.

The heatwave comes as Belgium’s “Tales of Future Weather” pilot project has taken climate statistics and created striking fictional weather scenarios aimed at raising awareness of the warming planet and helping cities prepare for extreme conditions. The project’s climate models accurately predicted high-season temperatures rocketing over 40°C for prolonged periods, with major impacts on electricity networks, public health, and local infrastructure.

As in recent summers where climate records have been surpassed, the risk of wildfires is high, especially in southern nations. Greece is already tackling a wildfire that has brought motorway traffic to a standstill in the centre of the country.

For travellers and residents across the bloc, the conditions mean immediate action should be taken to prevent harm. Staying hydrated, wearing skin protection, and staying out of the sun are essential, and intense physical exertion should be avoided. Construction work sites are likely to be closed as a precaution. Longer-term action means facing up to the climate effects of fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and finding more sustainable ways to undertake life’s journeys.

L’article Red heat alerts issued as Europe’s favourite destinations suffer deadly temperatures est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The 2025 report reveals that 85% of bathing waters in the European Union were rated “excellent”, while 96% met at least the minimum standards required under EU rules. Only 1.5% were classified as poor, underscoring both the progress made in recent decades and the need for continued action at problem sites.

For holidaymakers, the findings offer reassurance at the start of the peak travel period. From Atlantic beaches to Mediterranean resorts, most designated swimming spots are monitored regularly for bacteria linked to faecal contamination, including Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci. Authorities use the results to classify bathing waters and issue public warnings where needed.

Coastal destinations continue to perform best. In 2025, 88% of EU coastal bathing waters were rated excellent, compared with 78% of inland sites such as lakes and rivers. Cyprus, Greece, Bulgaria, and Austria were among the strongest performers, with more than 95% of bathing waters achieving excellent status.

The picture is more mixed for river swimming, an activity enjoying renewed popularity in European cities as residents and visitors seek cooling outdoor experiences during hotter summers. Across the EU, Albania, and Switzerland, only 47% of around 1,200 designated river bathing sites reached excellent quality in 2025. Rivers are more vulnerable to short-term pollution after heavy rain, wastewater overflows, agricultural runoff, and changes in water flow.

Even so, the broader trend remains positive. Europe’s bathing water quality has improved significantly over recent decades, largely because of tighter environmental regulation, better wastewater collection networks, and major investment in urban wastewater treatment. These changes have helped reopen or improve waters that were once heavily polluted, including some urban rivers.

However, the assessment also highlights the limits of current bathing water checks. EU rules focus on bacteria that indicate health risks for swimmers, but they do not cover all chemical pollutants, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, nutrients, or emerging contaminants. These are addressed under other EU water legislation.

For travellers, the practical advice is straightforward: check official national or regional bathing water websites before swimming, particularly after heavy rainfall or when visiting rivers and lakes. Many countries provide real-time or seasonal information, while the European Environment Agency also offers an interactive map covering thousands of bathing sites.

With demand for nature-based tourism rising and heatwaves becoming more frequent, clean and accessible bathing waters are increasingly an important part of Europe’s visitor appeal. The 2025 findings suggest that most travellers can swim with confidence — while reminding destinations that water quality remains a key factor in sustainable tourism competitiveness.

L’article Europe’s cleanest bathing waters revealed ahead of summer season est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Up to 100 electric hydrofoil boats are expected to form the Navier Network between the islands, a $100 million (€87 million) project partnership between San Francisco-based maritime tech firm Navier and Dubai’s JIH Global Investment.

Hydrofoils behave a bit like inverted aircraft wings underwater, creating hydrodynamic lift to allow the boat to glide above the water as it accelerates, cutting down on drag, and reducing noise and disturbance to maritime habitats. Hydrofoil vessels are more efficient than other boats, emitting fewer pollutants.

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In the Maldives, an archipelago where almost all journeys involve water transport, their use could represent a significant environmental gain and a huge step towards carbon neutrality by 2030, since the sustainable vessels are expected to replace a proportion of the fuel-powered seaplane and conventional boat journeys made by islanders and over two million visitors every year.

Up to five hydrofoil taxis in the shape of Navier N30s will be introduced to the island network over the coming year, with another 95 to follow by the end of 2029. Each vessels boasts a 75-nautical-mile range in electric mode, increasing to 150 nautical miles for hybrid operations. On-board facilities are set to include lounge seats, air-conditioned cabins, and Starlink Wi-Fi.

For Sampriti Bhattacharyya, founder and CEO of Navier the Maldives is “one of the most important maritime transportation markets in the world” making it “the perfect place to prove that maritime transportation can be cleaner, quieter, standardised, software-driven, and dramatically better for the guest experience. We are not just deploying boats. We are building the first sustainable luxury transportation network on water.”

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The boats’ fit with both environmental goals and the premium segment was also a focus for Mohamed Ali Janah, Chairman of JIH Global Investment, who said in a statement: “The Maldives has always been at the frontier of luxury tourism, but as an island nation on the frontlines of climate change, we also have an opportunity to help define what the future of waterborne transportation looks like.”

Expressing ambitions to go beyond the Maldivian market, he explained: “With Navier, we see the potential to build not only a cleaner, more seamless network connecting airports, resorts, villas, and islands, but a scalable blueprint for sustainable maritime transportation, extending beyond the Maldives to island nations and coastal cities around the world.”

L’article Maldives to gain electric hydrofoil boat network to decarbonise maritime transport est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The report, produced by the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), highlights the significant amount of energy, water, and other resources being consumed by the AI boom. This is not the first study to highlight the hidden environmental cost of artificial intelligence.

Previous warnings have come from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, and environmental activist Erin Brockovich, immortalised by Julia Roberts on screen, has also joined the debate, highlighting the impact of AI data centres on local water supplies.

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According to researchers, the situation is likely to worsen before it improves.

Day-to-day use of AI models accounts for 80–90% of their total energy demand, with image generation requiring far more power than text queries, and high-resolution video demanding even greater resources.

In addition, the pressure created by data centres is far from evenly distributed. In some countries and regions, these facilities are already placing additional strain on electricity grids and drawing heavily on limited water supplies.

The 56-page UNU-INWEH report reveals that data centres processing chatbot queries, AI-generated images, and machine learning tools require billions of litres of water to operate. Many of these data centres are located in areas that are already experiencing drought or water stress, and there is often limited transparency regarding the resources they consume.

To illustrate the scale of this issue, it is estimated that global data centres used 448 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2025. Generating that electricity required around 4.5 trillion litres of water, or enough to fill approximately 1.8 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. By 2030, this figure could increase to 9.3 trillion litres, which is enough to meet the basic annual water needs of approximately 1.3 billion people living in sub-Saharan Africa. 

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The report cites Google’s data centre in Mesa, Arizona, as an example. Despite warnings from local water authorities about the region’s chronic drought and repeated shortages since 2022, the facility was authorised to use up to 5.5 million cubic metres of water per year. A quantity that can cover the needs of hundreds of thousands of people. Google has reportedly considered expanding its presence in the region regardless.

“Is the increase in tax revenue and the relatively paltry number of jobs worth the water?” asked Kathryn Sorensen, former director of Mesa’s water department and professor at Arizona State University. This issue is further compounded by evidence that, while switching to renewables reduces carbon emissions, it can sometimes increase water consumption.

Spain tells a similar story. Amazon’s planned data centres in Aragon are licensed to use approximately 755,720 cubic metres of water per year, enough to irrigate 200 hectares of corn, and they are projected to consume more electricity than the entire region currently uses. Three-quarters of Spain’s territory is already at risk of desertification.

The UN is now calling for urgent action, outlining a framework for a responsible AI ecosystem that uses resources wisely, takes local environmental realities into account, and commits to standardised, transparent reporting of energy, water, land and carbon footprints.

L’article AI boom fuels rising concerns over water consumption, UN warns est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Research suggests that temperatures above 28°C (82.4°F) can affect soccer players’ performance — especially how fast, far, or frequently they run during a match. This can influence a team’s overall match strategy and style of play.

Ultimately, it could be harder for players to reach their peak performance during a match because of hotter temperatures. And teams with styles of play that rely on speed and repeated sprinting could face a disadvantage.

The analysis from Climate Central shows that climate change is making it more likely there will be temperatures high enough during most matches (97 out of 104) to negatively affect athlete performance. Nearly half of the matches (49) have at least a 50% likelihood of taking place during performance-impairing heat, the research found. In 26 of those matches, climate change increases the likelihood by at least 10 percentage points.

Among all matches, conditions for the match on 26 June in Guadalajara between Uruguay and Spain are most affected, with the 70% chance of performance-impairing heat 37 percentage points higher due to climate change.

And when it comes to the final, scheduled for 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (known as New York New Jersey Stadium by FIFA), whichever teams are lucky enough to go that far will face a 47% likelihood of performance-impairing heat — odds that are about 17 percentage points higher because of climate change.

As well as affecting match strategy and how hard and fast players approach the game, extreme heat can pose a serious health risk, the Climate Central researchers point out, especially when combined with high humidity.

To keep players, fans, and staff safe, World Cup organisers are adapting to the rising heat risks by scheduling more evening matches in hotter cities as well as imposing mandatory hydration breaks at all 104 matches. Matches may be postponed if the web-bulb globe temperature (a measurement of humid heat) hits 32°C (89.6°F) to minimise risks of heat stress.

Another factor to be taken into account is that most stadiums are open-air, leaving players and millions of fans exposed to peak summer heat. Only three stadiums are fully climate-controlled (Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston). Fans as well as players then, should take sensible precautions to guard against heat stroke and sunburn, including drinking plenty of water, using suitably protective suncream and hats, and limiting exertion during the hottest parts of the day.

L’article Climate change has heightened risk of dangerous heat at 2026 World Cup est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Although they were initially welcomed as a creative new means of transportation within the city, shared e-scooters have quickly become a cause for concern within Brussels. Over the course of 2025, not only were 666 people injured in the Brussels-Capital region in accidents involving e-scooters (up 25% from 2024), but many people also complained about carelessly parked scooters, and according to Brussels public prosecutor Julien Moinil, e-scooters were used in 25 Brussels shootings throughout the year.

With the ongoing contracts of shared e-scooter providers Bolt and Dott coming to expire at the end of 2026, the Brussels government took the decision not to renew those and to effectively ban shared e-scooters from the Belgian capital starting from 2027.

We have BIG news!
Bolt scooters and e-bikes are now available in 200 cities across Europe, up from the 170 cities that we had at the beginning of the year! pic.twitter.com/5uEKPuxRW9

— Bolt (@boltapp) June 2, 2022

‘Anyone who falls off a scooter is more likely to be injured than someone who falls off a bicycle, and haphazardly parked share scooters make pavements even more difficult to navigate for people with reduced mobility, parents with pushchairs or the elderly. This decision goes beyond safety alone; it is about choosing a city with enough alternatives to get around quickly and efficiently. That is why share bikes will remain, and we are giving Villo! a long-awaited update,” said Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt in an interview with Brussels news outlet BRUZZ.

While Bolt and Dott are disappointed by the ban, the decision is being widely applauded, and the absence of shared e-scooters is likely to create momentum for shared (e-)bikes. Brussels bike-sharing platform Villo! is currently managed by JCDecaux until September 2028. Afterwards, a new system is likely to be set up, based on the same principle of fixed docking stations across all Brussels neighbourhoods.

“The decision to ban share scooters from the streets of Brussels is clear and sound policy. By retaining share bikes, we are reconciling individual travel with public order,” Brussels PM Boris Dilliès commented.

Shared e-scooters elsewhere

The news comes at a moment when shared e-scooters are being restricted and criticised within Belgium. In May 2026, for example, Antwerp hospital group ZAS asked to ban shared e-scooters between midnight and 8:00 am, as nightly accidents tend to be more serious. Moreover, Belgian Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke pushed for a new law making the wearing of a helmet compulsory for e-scooters, which are able to exceed 20 kilometres per hour. The new rule should go into effect as of September 2026, but is unlikely to affect shared e-scooters, as providers will probably lower their speed limit.

On a global scale, Brussels will not be the first city to ban shared e-scooters. Previously, destinations including Paris, Madrid, Melbourne, and Prague have made the same decisions based on similar concerns, while others, such as Rome and Copenhagen, have introduced strict rules to limit their damage and nuisance.

L’article Shared e-scooters banned from Brussels from 2027 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.