Strategic Plan 2011-2013

Guiding principles:

To promote even more the concept of Ardenne Bleue as a tourist region of eastern Wallonia.
To pursue a promotion policy that is coherent with other public players.
To develop the tourism engineering sector.
To support and increase the promotional activity for business tourism.
To consolidate the management of the company

Promotion of Ardenne Bleue

As part of the regional strategic plan “Destinations 2015”, AQUALIS, as such, no longer publishes promotional material. From now on, the activity in support of Ardenne Bleue will be carried out in a more indirect way:

Maintaining the reference to Ardenne Bleue in the partnerships to which the company belongs: this is particularly the case with the participation of AQUALIS in the foundation and operation of the non-profit organisation Meet In Spa.
Promoting initiatives (associations, events, etc.) that intend using the term or supporting the concept of Ardenne Bleue. Here are some examples: Les Galgos de l´Ardenne Bleue (a non-profit greyhound association), the new Verviers en Ardenne Bleue Rotary Club, the Trek Ardenne Bleue, etc.
Visibility of Ardenne Bleue at the events in which AQUALIS takes part.
Displaying the words Ardenne Bleue or the logo in signage projects.
…

A promotion policy that is coherent with other tourism players

This principle is also part of the “Destinations 2015” plan. It manifests itself mainly by intensifying cooperation with the Federation for Tourism for the Province of Liège.

Development of the tourism engineering sector

Regarding tourist signs, Ardenne Bleue is presently covered by the motorways sector (by the Wallonia public roads department) and by the regional trunk roads sector (by AQUALIS). The next stage is to make further progress with the local authorities. A programme for developing local tourist signs has been launched with the three-fold aim of strengthening the tourism visibility of the bodies concerned, to better inform the visitor by rationalising road signs and to integrate each local programme into a more supra-local trading dynamic (Ardenne Bleue).

AQUALIS also intends to develop its know-how regarding consultancy. This could relate to feasibility studies on tourism projects, statistics, market research, etc. This principle could also manifest itself, in the case of projects that are economically buoyant and profitable, by taking part in intercommunal tourism restructuring projects.

Supporting business tourism

Although the economic recession has been a major feature of the period concerned, it is clear that the expectations of the tourism sector in Ardenne Bleue relates to a better occupation rate in hotels during the week. The potential for several hotels, as well as other tourist operators, allows us to foresee an upturn in business tourism.

Through its participation in the non-profit organisation Meet in Spa, as well as by prospecting companies, AQUALIS intends to position itself as the benchmark Office Convention in the Ardenne Bleue region.

Strengthening the company’s management

More pragmatically, AQUALIS cannot count on its own action to improve its economic position. Apart from the income that the abovementioned activities could bring in, special attention will be given by management to:

Controlling operating costs
Investing in saving energy
Controlling salary costs
An active strategy for investing assets and managing debt.

Strategic Plan 2011-2013

News

Photothèque

Ardenne bleue

Business & Events