The Flanders Fields area says “Welcome Back” to international tourists

Even before the end of the First World War, the area of Flanders Fields has been welcoming an international audience of visitors, wishing to reflect and pay their respects to the many that fell there. This is an area that is steeped in history that has had a profound influence on society today, and many visitors travel from around the world to investigate their own heritage or satisfy their interest in one of the World’s most deadly of wars and the landscape, steeped in historical narrative, still bears the battle scars of World War 1, with its craters, memorials, and Allied and German cemeteries.

Over the years, these visitors have, in turn, become an integral part of the fabric of the local community there. However, the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic made its mark in the region. The absence of pilgrims and tourists from the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and elsewhere, was visibly notable and sorely missed by locals. Now, with the recent relaxation of covid travel restrictions to Belgium, a free visitor pass has been created to offer international visitors an extra-special “welcome back” to Flanders Fields. VISITFLANDERS, together with stakeholders from across the region, has produced the ‘Welcome Back to Flanders Fields Pass’ to thank and reward visitors for returning to the area with a number of free and discounted travel options to the area, allowing them to discover the wealth of experiences Flanders Fields has to offer.

The pass facilitates a raft of a range of free and discounted entry to many of the region’s museums and visitor attractions, including the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres, and Memorial Museum Passchendaele in Zonnebeke, as well as a wealth of the smaller, privately-run sites, such as the Hooge Crater Museum in Ypres, Talbot House in Poperinge and the Lange Max Museum in Koeklaere. Whilst many of the region’s visitor attractions understandably have a WW1 theme, this part of Belgium is also important for the country’s renowned brewing industry – and museums such as Poperinge’s Hop Museum, as well as tours to some of the region’s breweries are also included in the Pass.

There’s also the opportunity to enjoy a significant discount on a private tour led by one of the area’s knowledgeable and private guides, who have an intricate knowledge of the landscapes and the history and can really bring an extra dimension to a visit, or to join one of a number of tour groups. Of course, being Flanders, it is also an area which can be explored on two wheels through its miles of dedicated cycle routes, and there are discounts on bike hire, on both traditional bicycles, as well as e-bikes.

The Welcome Back to Flanders Fields Pass will be available to international visitors at no cost when they book a stay directly with one of the region’s participating accommodation providers. The initiative will apply to all travel up until and including 30 September 2022.

Further information is available at http://www.flandersfields1418.com/welcomeback

Discounts and Free entrants:

First World War Museums and Centres
In Flanders Fields Museum 50% REDUCTION
Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 50% REDUCTION
Yser Tower 50% REDUCTION
Westfront Visitor Centre FREE ENTRY
Hooge Crater Museum FREE ENTRY
Lange Max Museum FREE ENTRY
Käthe Kollwitz Museum FREE ENTRY
Guynemer Pavilion FREE ENTRY
Talbot House Museum FREE ENTRY

First World War Sites
Trench of Death FREE ENTRY
Bayernwald FREE ENTRY

Breweries and Belgian Beer Heritage
St Bernardus Brewery 50% REDUCTION
Kazematten Brewery 50% REDUCTION
De Dolle Brouwers 50% REDUCTION
Hop Museum 50% REDUCTION

Other visitor attractions
Yper Museum 50% REDUCTION
Jules Destrooper Visitor Centre 50% REDUCTION
Command Bunker 50% REDUCTION
Bellewaerde Park 25% REDUCTION

By location

Ypres and surrounds
In Flanders Fields Museum 50% REDUCTION
Hooge Crater Museum FREE ENTRY
Kazematten Brewery 50% REDUCTION
Yper Museum 50% REDUCTION
Bellewaerde Park 25% REDUCTION

Zonnebeke and surrounds
Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 50% REDUCTION

Diksmuide and surrounds
Yser Tower 50% REDUCTION
Lange Max Museum FREE ENTRY
Käthe Kollwitz Museum FREE ENTRY
Trench of Death FREE ENTRY
De Dolle Brouwers 50% REDUCTION
Poperinge and surrounds
Talbot House Museum FREE ENTRY
St Bernardus Brewery 50% REDUCTION
Hop Museum 50% REDUCTION

Nieuwpoort and surrounds
Westfront Visitor Centre FREE ENTRY

Langemark Poelkapelle and surrounds
Guynemer Pavilion FREE ENTRY

Lo-Reninge and surrounds
Jules Destrooper Visitor Centre 50% REDUCTION

Heuvelland and surrounds
Bayernwald FREE ENTRY
Command Bunker 50% REDUCTION

About VISITFLANDERS

This Flemish government agency is the official tourist organisation for Flanders. The organisation strives for the sustainable development and promotion of tourism to and within Flanders, with a view to boosting the economic return, employment and the well-being of its inhabitants. http://www.visitflanders.com