#startuplife
Take a look back at our adventure at the time of covid-19
In September, the Imagine Belgium adventure began!
On the 1st of September 2020, Imagine Belgium opened its doors, after long months of waiting due to covid-19. Located on the Grand Place in Brussels, visitors were eager to test Flybox, the virtual reality experience that allows you to fly over Belgium. The opening was a great success, the Imagine Belgium adventure finally began!
After this difficult period of lockdown, Belgians were more than ever eager to rediscover their country. Flybox was then the ideal activity to explore Belgium in a secure manner after the summer holidays.
In total, Flybox has flown no less than 1,300 Belgian and non-Belgian visitors since it opened! Normally, this figure wouldn’t amaze you, but in times of health crisis, it’s a huge success!
Adapting in order to fight against Covid 19
The golden rules of the fight against the pandemic are becoming a priority for Imagine Belgium. Thus, instead of 25 virtual reality structures, we have chosen to install only 12 in order to ensure that social distancing is respected. We bring great importance to the cleaning of the zip lines, the shop and the sales area. We ensure that masks are worn, hands are disinfected and our premises are constantly ventilated.
Every detail is thought out to ensure a healthy and trouble-free experience.
Weeks go by and no two are alike
Despite the encouragements of the media, players in the sector and influential people, tourism in the Brussels-Capital Region is in full swing. Belgians are travelling less and less to the city centre, foreign tourists are becoming increasingly rare, and indoor activities are causing concern and fear in the face of the growing number of cases of contamination.
At Imagine Belgium, we try to remain optimistic. Always looking for recommendations and listening to the public, we find above all that our experience is enjoyable. So, to raise awareness of Flybox, we launched a campaign with social media influencers and with their support, visitors from all over the world are turning up!
Despite days bad days and the good days, we have always found a way to adapt and that is our strength!
A resourceful Brussels startup!
If there’s one quality that we are known for, it’s that we bounce back all the time!
Everything still needs to be arranged just a few days before the opening? The whole team and even our loved ones are getting involved! Need to adjust our scenography by adding a touch of colour? We’re armed with paint brushes! An event to organise? It’s as good as done!
Being a startup means we have to bounce back quickly! And with a motivated team, nothing is impossible for us! We choose to take our weaknesses at face value and, based on the opinions we gather every day, improve our experience. Every week, new ideas and great collaborations are born!
New perspectives thanks to 2020!
Imagine Belgium is not only about Belgium, but also about Belgian talent! Our desire to promote local business meets that of our visitors. Indeed, this year has taught us to turn more towards our national heritage and our local businesses. With our unique souvenir shop, our customers can choose from a multitude of products by Belgian designers, most of which are made just a few kilometres from home.
The year 2020 is also a year of mutual support. Ironically, covid-19 has given us a glimpse of some unexpected possibilities: partnerships are being woven in the heart of the “Ilot Sacré” between players in tourism and culture in Brussels. We are pulling together to better bounce back in the face of the crisis!
Cherry on top, October brings us our first teambuildings with Keyrock and EFluenz, our first event with the exhibition of the photographer Cem-Ali Bas, as well as our first school visits! The enthusiasm for our virtual reality experience and our event venue upstairs is already present.
We are looking forward to the end of year festivities. But we have to keep in mind that we have not yet reached the end of this pandemic…
New measures that leave us speechless
Saturday 24 October: the Brussels-Capital Region takes the decision to close cultural centres and other entertainment venues. This is the announcement we were dreading! Far from being surprised, but still a little stunned by this decision, we have to close our doors temporarily.
So it’s time to put the adventure on hold, to get together (on Zoom or Skype, of course) to take some time to reflect on the last few months and what the future holds. Wouldn’t this be a good time to re-evaluate our clients’ recommendations, to think about improvements, to train the team more, in short to come back stronger! Mathilde will take advantage of this time to continue her training in communication, Marie S to perfect her data analysis skills, Louis in motion design, Anaïs will learn about online events and Marie L will take over Imagine Belgium’s activities.
We respect the decisions made and we hope to see you again soon, healthy and with your bubble. In the meantime, count on Imagine Belgium to help you get away from it all for a few moments, remotely, with quality content. Follow us now on our social networks Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with our news.
Take care of yourself and see you soon!
The Imagine Belgium’s Team
Marie L, Marie S, Anaïs, Mathilde & Louis
