Flanders Expo innovates with 5G & WiFi 6 networks
Flanders Expo increases digital comfort for its visitors, exhibitors, and organisers and strengthens its position in the international congress market. The investment was made with the support of Visit Flanders.
GHENT, February 18, 2025 – Flanders Expo, one of four venues operated by event organiser Easyfairs Belgium, continues to invest in its digital infrastructure, equipping the venue with a 5G network and WiFi 6 technology. Following earlier innovations, such as the purchase of digital screens in 2024, this project marks a new phase in the company’s sustainability journey, aiming to halve its CO2 emissions by 2030. The investment makes Flanders Expo an even more attractive player in the international congress and events market. Visit Flanders is supporting the project with the aim of encouraging more event organisers to consider Flanders for congresses and events.
Stronger position in the congress and events market
Equipping the venue with a private 5G network, in collaboration with partner Proximus, and WiFi 6 technology through Citymesh, had a total price tag of €220,000. Visit Flanders helped finance the project with a subsidy of €75,000. Stefanie Roels, Venue Manager at Flanders Expo, explains: “WiFi 6 and 5G should ensure that you are faster, safer, and always connected at Flanders Expo, regardless of the number of visitors present.” With this, the company hopes not only to improve the digital comfort of all its stakeholders but to differentiate Flanders Expo from its competitors with a cutting-edge digital infrastructure. Flanders Expo will become the first event venue with a fully owned 5G private network and is confident that this will attract new congress and event organisers who require stable connectivity. In this way, Easyfairs Belgium is positioning itself as a leading player and strengthening its (international) market position.
Tourism Flanders supports
Ghent is a tourist attraction with a rich history and vibrant culture. The Flanders Expo multifunctional site is currently often overlooked by organisers of national and international congresses. “This is a missed opportunity to draw businesses and federations to the city,” according to CEO Peter De Wilde of Visit Flanders. “Innovative and digital experiences definitely give a multi-format venue like Flanders Expo a competitive edge. An initiative that we are happy to support.”
More digitalisation to come
There are even more impressive digitalisation projects to come from Easyfairs. “The switch to these networks allows us to make even more digital investments in the future, such as linking digital signage and wayfinding to the digital screens that were already purchased in 2024. Digitalisation is thus an important component of a sustainable congress experience,” says Alain D’haese, COO and Head of Venues at Easyfairs Belgium.
Easyfairs signed the “Net Zero Carbon Events” pledge in 2021, with which it aims to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and become completely energy-neutral by 2050.
For more information, please contact:
Alain D’haese
Head of Venues Easyfairs Belgium
[email protected]
+32 499 86 11 83
Stef Gits
Tourism Flanders
[email protected]
About VisitFlanders
VisitFlanders enhances the positive impact of tourism with the aim of making Flanders thrive as an innovative, inspiring, and high-quality travel destination. We support the tourism sector in further developing Flanders as a travel destination, and we promote our region abroad. Our efforts benefit the place as well as its residents, entrepreneurs, and visitors.
www.visitflanders.com/en/about-visitflanders
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