They have indeed spent money in the city. “We are achieving normal turnover again,” says Vincent Schietekat, the chairman of vzw Groenplaats, an association of catering operators. “We then look at the figures for 2019, from before corona. It has really been since the Dutch came here that we have achieved those turnovers again, although the catering industry still has to close at 11 pm. 20 to 30 percent of our revenue, I think.”
Stadsfeestzaal Meir also reacts positively: “We are pleased that our retailers can also generate some extra turnover after a difficult period.” The crowds are also nuanced. “It is busier than last year in the same period, but it is not yet the visitor numbers of 2019.”
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