Brussels Airport, Belgium’s biggest souvenir shop for Belgian products

On 21 July, Belgium celebrates its National Day. Serving as both ambassador and gateway to our country, Brussels Airport celebrates Belgian identity not just on 21 July, but throughout the entire year. Each day, the airport receives 70,000 to 80,000 travellers from around the globe, with many keen to take a bit of Belgium back home with them. Chocolate remains by far the best-selling product at the airport. Souvenirs featuring Belgian comic book characters such as Tintin and the Smurfs are also especially popular with international travellers at Brussels Airport.

Each day, 70,000 to 80,000 passengers pass through Brussels Airport, rising to 90,000 during peak summer periods. Travellers from around the globe frequently choose to take home a Belgian souvenir from the extensive selection carried by the airport shops.

Chocolate by far the most popular product at Brussels Airport

Chocolate is the most popular and best-selling product at Brussels Airport. Chocolate products account for as much as a third of all sales at the airport. No less than 1.5 kg of this classic Belgian delicacy is sold every minute, totalling around 850 tonnes annually. This makes the airport, in partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail Belgium, the biggest chocolate outlet in the world.

Travellers’ top choice is a box of Neuhaus chocolates, with customers free to pick their own selection at the shop counter. Taking second place in the top three most popular chocolate products is the Leonidas milk chocolate tablet with hazelnuts, a classic much loved by the international public at the airport. Completing the top three is a milk chocolate tablet with salted caramel.

In early July, the new shop The Chocolate Shack by West Flemish chocolatier Dominique Persoone also opened — a take-out concept where travellers can create and personalize their own chocolate snack.

Tintin and Snowy accessories top the souvenir list

Of course, there is much more to Belgian culture than chocolate. Souvenirs with a distinctly Belgian character also prove popular. Tintin and his dog Snowy, the comic book characters created by Belgian cartoonist Hergé, are especially popular with visitors from around the world at Brussels Airport. Unsurprisingly, the Tintin carrier bag is the airport’s best-selling souvenir. A Snowy plush toy and key rings of the iconic duo complete the top three most popular souvenirs. The top ten non-food products also include Smurf-themed souvenirs like plush toys, magnets, and key rings of the famous blue cartoon characters.

Brussels Airport: serving as Belgium’s ambassador

Brussels Airport is more than just an airport. As an international hub in the heart of Europe and the gateway to Belgium, the airport is also a proud ambassador of our country. A distinctly Belgian touch can be felt throughout the airport. Info panels at the security screening provide facts about famous Belgians in music, fashion, sports…, while various spots around the airport display photos of Belgium’s most beautiful cities and landmarks.

That ‘Belgitude’ is also reflected in our selection of bars, restaurants, and shops. Every day, nearly 3,000 glasses of Belgian beer are served at the airport. ‘The Wave,’ a concept store selling Belgian designer clothes and jewellery, has been welcoming shoppers in Pier A since the start of the year. The bar in the refurbished lounge, ‘The View,’ in Pier B also features a specially designed Art Deco stained glass ceiling made in Belgium. Finally, Pier A features a life-size replica of the iconic red and white rocket from the Tintin story ‘Destination Moon’. Finally, you’ll find Belgian brands and concepts such as Le Pain Quotidien, Exki, Panos, Belle & Belge, Belgorama, and Java in various locations throughout the airport.