New tourist office for Visit Kalmthout

The municipality of Kalmthout will be renewing its tourist information office Visit Kalmthout during the coming months. With the new design, Kalmthout opts for a more contemporary style and creates a greater experience for the visitor. The new information office will open in the beginning of 2025.

More visitors and a more diverse audience

“In recent years we have noticed an increasing number of visitors to our tourist office,” says Thomas Verboven of Visit Kalmthout. “During the corona period, many people discovered how nice walking and cycling is in Kalmthout. Not only do we have more visitors, the origins of nature lovers are also becoming more diverse. For example, in 2023 we recorded more than 25 nationalities. Tourists from Canada, Iceland and the United States even came by. We see the greatest growth among visitors from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.”

Experience starts at Visit Kalmthout

“In the new information office we extend the characteristic nature of Kalmthout into the building,” Thomas continues. “You will find some natural elements there and the new tourist plan is projected on the ground. This way you can orientate yourself and discover Kalmthout's other assets such as: De Maatjes, Klein Schietveld, Arboretum Kalmthout, Suske en Wiske Museum... The new information office was designed by the Kalmthout interior architect Krien Frickel.”

“We are also focusing more on digital tools. With three 'area explorers', visitors put together their own walking or cycling route. They enter a number of parameters and the system proposes a route. In addition, digital information boards will welcome visitors.”

Personal contact comes first

“The reception desk remains an important part of our services,” concludes Thomas. “Human contact is still necessary when visitors are hopping in for information. Kalmthout's regional products and gadgets will all be given a nice place, so that our pride for this products will be felt. We also aim for multilingualism: the tourist magazine and our walking and cycling booklet will be offered in German, English and French.”

Subsidy Visit Flanders

In 2022, Visit Flanders called on municipalities to develop tourism projects around nature. The municipality of Kalmthout submitted a project to completely redesign the existing tourist information office. Flanders awarded the municipality of Kalmthout a project subsidy of 195,138 euro's. In addition, the municipality itself is investing 345,000 euro's in Visit Kalmthout.