Tourism minister Lex Delles on Thursday presented some of the projects lined up to help boost the sector this summer. The “Lëtzebuerg, dat ass Vakanz” (Luxembourg, that’s a holiday) campaign will hope to attract domestic and cross-border tourists.

The campaign was first launched last year when travel options were limited because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s offer includes LetzBingo, a game for children and adults, the Vëlosummer cycling initiative together with the Movewecarry.lu option to have your luggage delivered to a hotel or other accommodation, and the Guide for one Day programme, which sees personalities from the grand duchy become local tourism guides.

In the longer-term, the ministry is preparing a new tourism strategy, which will set out priority areas for development and should be ready by autumn this year.

The ministry also wants to revitalise the MS Princesse Marie-Astrid, the boat on which the famous Schengen agreement on free movement within the EU was signed in 1985, as a tourist attraction. This project will form part of a wider plan to highlight Luxembourg’s history, remembrance of WW1 and WW2, the country’s industrial heritage and its role in the foundation of the European Union.

Research will also go into improving customer services for sports tourism, such as bike rental options.

“We are constantly improving our tourist offer through various innovative projects in order to make a stay in the grand duchy pleasant and rewarding,” Delles said during a press conference on 20 May. “I am confident that the diversity and quality of our offer will pave the way for a recovery in this sector, which has a considerable economic impact in Luxembourg.”

In 2019, before the pandemic, tourism accounted for more than 8% of Luxembourg gross domestic product. The sector directly employs at least 6,000 people with many more jobs indirectly attached to tourism.

The ministry in June 2020 made €3m in support available for tourism not for profits, with the sector eligible for other coronavirus rescue package measures, such as partial unemployment, company grants or loan guarantees.

Sebastian Redekker, CEO of Luxembourg for Tourism, said 56% of Europeans aim to travel in the coming months. This could translate into 2.4m tourists from Luxembourg’s neighbouring countries and the Netherlands.

He said Luxembourg enjoys a good reputation in how it is managing the pandemic and a positive image on social media, which should help the country attract foreign tourists this year.