Peter Craeymeersch

"Ostend, from the Queen of Bricks to a vibrant and cultural city, a marketing journey"

Summary

In the 1990s, Ostend struggled with a less positive image. Tourism Ostend played a key role in repositioning the city by developing a powerful narrative that highlighted the city's maritime and cultural assets. Through a long-term strategy, Ostend was able to use its unique characteristics, such as authentic city life and its location by the sea, to differentiate itself from other seaside resorts and cultural destinations.

The results speak for themselves. Hotel occupancy rates bounced back immediately after Corvid and are now 9% higher than the average for other coastal towns. The number of four-star hotels doubled and the quality of the culinary offer has grown from 4 to 20 Gault&Millau Restaurants.

Biography

Peter Craeymeersch joined Tourism Ostend in 1997, after 6 years as a retail manager in Texaco.  After several years as marketing director (1997-2001) he became general manager in the agency Tourism Ostend. Next to his role at Tourism Ostend, he is also manager of the Kursaal Ostend, a major events venue in the city. His efforts in city marketing and tourism have helped transform Ostend into a vibrant and attractive city for residents and that attracts visitors all year round. As from 2007 he created the Film Festival in Ostend where he is the artistic director.