Brussels by Water (BBW) is a development organisation that dedicates itself to the tourist, recreational and educational use of the navigable waterways of the Brussels Region. BBW thinks that Brussels should better recognize, appreciate, promote and use its image and quality of 'city and region on the waterside'. In this respect it develops projects to improve the city's status.

Today the watercourses - in comparison to the transportation routes for goods - have become attractively
green and 'slow' waterways that play a role in a renewed kind of transport for people: sailing, biking and
walking on and along the waterway.

In close cooperation with its partner organisations 'Scaldisnet', 'Kanaaltochten Brabant' and 'Circuits Brabant-Hainaut', Brussels by Water seeks to promote the 'connecting function'* of the watercourse by offering numerous qualitative and affordable boat trips on a regular basis. These include boat trips from as well as
to Brussels and Brabant, organised weekly and on fixed days. These guided boat trips are combined with
guided tours and activities directly after, including bike and walking trips.

In addition Brussels by Water organises (or supports) public events on and around the waterways and tries
to work out a complete and streamlined approach of water management with partners from Brussels and the other regions via agreement and collaboration.

Together with its partners, Brussels by Water is setting up a documentation centre to provide information
on water and waterways, conducts research, organises seminars and gives policy advice and undertakes projects on waterway development in tourist and recreational terms.

The tourist services supplied by BBW and its regional partners are carried out by Rivertours. Reservations
of boat trips, combinations of boat and bike trips and combinations of boat trips and tourist visits can be
made through its booking office. All means of transportation with regard to these excursions are also
provided by Rivertours.

* between the different municipalities and towns along the watercourse


Projects

• Organising tourist boat trips in, from or to Brussels, combinations of boat & bike trips and combinations
  of boat trips & tourist visits from May to September.
• Educational boat trips for schools with special attention to the different functions of the canal.
• Big Boat, Bike and Walk Event on and around the canals of Brabant and the river Zenne on 1 May 2009. This event also means the start of the sailing season.
• Research and seminars on the integration of the canal in the city.
• Putting the different functions of the canal in the spotlight by organising specific guided tours.
• Upgrading the canal to an axis for green transport by organising bike events along the canal.
• Upgrading the places of interest along the canal.
• Continuous training of guides and tourist assistants.
• Consulting with the responsible governments on the improvement of nautical infrastructure and public equipment on watercourses.
• Organising the so-called ‘summer round trips’ in July and August so as to enable as many people as possible to discover Brussels from the water.
• Delivering guided commuting services by boat during big events in order to give these events a nautical dimension and to combine tourism and transportation.