BRUSSELS – The smoking ban that has been in effect since the beginning of this year has had mainly a negative impact on restaurants and cafes near the border with the Netherlands.

Businesses in municipalities like Maaseik are seeing more and more customers cross the border to the Netherlands where smoking is still allowed in the hospitality sector.

Restaurants in the Belgian part of this border region saw their turnover decrease by 25 percent during the first three months of this year.

Cafes in this region saw turnover decrease by 7 percent since the introduction of the smoking ban, according to John Spaan, president of hospitality industry organisation Horeca-Limburg.

In particular the Dutch neighbouring municipalities of Geleen, Roosteren and Stein are cashing in on the smoking ban that was introduced in Belgium.

[Copyright Expatica News 2007]

Subject: Belgian news