Now in its 26th year, the Global Greeter Network is going from strength to strength. And what better way to visit a city than accompanied by a local? As a symbol of this boom, the International Greeters Association has been created and its headquarters are in Brussels. Greeters are local people who give tourists an unusual, original and personal insight into their city or neighborhood, in a friendly and welcoming way. This idea is a perfect example of the trend in alternative tourism, which is increasingly in demand from tourists looking for a more authentic experience. It represents participative tourism, a vehicle for urban development and a cornerstone of tourist growth at the start of the 21st century.
The Global Greeter Network has more than 140 members in all 4 corners of the globe. Brussels can boast about being one of the 6 Global Greeter destinations to have seen the biggest rise in visits, along with Paris, New York, Chicago, Brisbane and Hamburg.
Today, Brussels Greeters and visit.brussels are delighted to announce the creation of the International Greeter Association (IGA). The Brussels Greeters network is a free, participative tourism service, that relies on the volunteering work and enthusiasm of the people of Brussels. Coordinated by visit.brussels, its mission is to welcome and help visitors discover the city. The creation of the IGA in Brussels confirms the capital’s international standing and further boosts its active approach to local partnerships.
Visit.brussels (and the Brussels Greeters), CDT Pas-de-Calais, Hamburg Greeters, Cicerones of Buenos Aires, Paris Greeters and Choose Chicago are the founding members, who will soon bring the 140 existing networks together. The global network is expected to grow by 5% in the next two years.
