From 1 January, Ghent will be recognized as a ‘tourist center’. As a result, shops can ignore the mandatory closing day.
–
There is joy at the office of the Ghent alderman for Economy Sofie Bracke (Open VLD). Now that Ghent has an officially recognized tourist center, the mandatory closing day at shops can be changed. Shops can choose to cancel one fixed closing day per week.
Under current regulations, a mandatory closing day per week was always fixed for 6 months. The recognition had been discussed in the Ghent city council for years, but the final application was submitted a few months ago. In Belgium, all seaside resorts and also Bruges are recognized as a tourist center.
Employers’ organizations react positively to the news. Unizo itself took the lead in getting the recognition. Unions have previously said that they do not think the recognition is a good idea. The workload is mounting, and the earnings from those Sunday openings just translate into less earnings on other days, they say.
– .
