“We have a historic bond with the British Commonwealth that is very painful,” Louagie continued. “It’s more than just a business for us. It’s an emotional and human story. A lot of our British volunteers who have been coming for 30 years don’t get us now. It detracts from the people, who usually don’t like being the youngest. They don’t know if they are. will get there, so it gets very emotional. The longer it goes on, the worse it gets. There are even some of my British volunteers who are hospitalized with mental issues, because they don’t get here anymore.”
British-Australian Sharon Evans and her husband Philippe Uyttenhove run Quasimodo Tours in Bruges. They organize day trips for English speaking tourists in the area. “More than 75 per cent of our customers are British,” Evans said, but they are not there now. “We want restrictions lifted. Britons who have been vaccinated are as safe as you and I,” added Uyttenhove. Pauline Vanoverschelde of the Pax Hotel in Diksmuide also joined the protest. “Time is running out. Winter is approaching and we want to have perspective as soon as possible: are they coming or not?”
Tourists from the region hope to get an answer to this question as soon as possible.
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