Company search in Bruges: explore the BCE database for the tourism sector

In brief

Bruges has over 15,000 active companies registered with the BCE/KBO, including hundreds in hospitality, accommodation, and tourism services. The Company Belgium API lets you search, filter, and verify these businesses in seconds using official data updated daily.

Bruges: an economic gem powered by tourism

Bruges (Brugge in Dutch) is far more than a medieval postcard. With its picturesque canals, a historic city centre listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its world-renowned chocolate and brewing traditions, the city attracts over 4 million visitors every year. This tourist influx fuels a dynamic economic ecosystem where thousands of businesses operate in hospitality, retail, and cultural services.

Behind this historic facade lies a dense and diverse business landscape. The city of Bruges is home to more than 15,000 active companies registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (BCE/KBO), spanning sectors from tourism to port logistics and international trade through the port of Zeebrugge.

The economic weight of tourism in Bruges

The Bruges tourism sector represents a significant share of the local economy:

• Accommodation: more than 400 registered hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses

• Horeca: approximately 800 restaurants, cafés and bars in the historic centre

• Retail: hundreds of chocolatiers, lace shops and souvenir stores

• Cultural services: museums, tour guides, boat excursion operators

• Events: conference venues, caterers and corporate event organisers

This concentration of businesses creates a constant need for verification and commercial prospecting. Whether you are a supplier looking for new clients in the Bruges horeca sector, an investor evaluating an opportunity in the hotel industry, or a regulatory body checking a tourism operator's compliance, access to official BCE data is essential. Learn more about the register in our guide to what the BCE/KBO is in Belgium.

Searching for tourism businesses in Bruges with the Company Belgium API

The Company Belgium API lets you query the BCE/KBO database to identify and verify active businesses in Bruges. Here is how it works in practice.

Search by location

To find all registered businesses in the municipality of Bruges:

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const response = await fetch(
  class="code-string">'https:class="code-comment">//companybelgium.be/api/companies/search?city=Brugge&status=active',
  {
    headers: {
      class="code-string">'X-API-Key': class="code-string">'pk_live_your_public_key',
      class="code-string">'X-API-Secret': class="code-string">'sk_live_your_secret_key',
    },
  }
);

const data = await response.json();
console.log(class="code-string">`${data.total} active companies in Bruges`);

Search by NACE code: targeting the horeca sector

NACE codes allow you to filter companies by business activity. For the tourism sector in Bruges, the most relevant codes are:

• 55.1: Hotels and similar accommodation

• 55.2: Holiday and other short-stay accommodation

• 56.1: Restaurants and mobile food service activities

• 56.3: Beverage serving activities

• 79.1: Travel agency and tour operator activities

• 79.9: Other reservation service activities

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class="code-comment">// Search for hotels and accommodation in Bruges
const response = await fetch(
  class="code-string">'https:class="code-comment">//companybelgium.be/api/companies/search?city=Brugge&nace=55.1&status=active',
  {
    headers: {
      class="code-string">'X-API-Key': class="code-string">'pk_live_your_public_key',
      class="code-string">'X-API-Secret': class="code-string">'sk_live_your_secret_key',
    },
  }
);

const hotels = await response.json();
hotels.results.forEach(hotel => {
  console.log(class="code-string">`${hotel.name} - BCE: ${hotel.enterpriseNumber} - ${hotel.address}`);
});

Verifying a business partner

Before signing a contract with a Bruges hotel or restaurant, verify its status with the BCE:

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class="code-comment">// Verify a company by its BCE number
const response = await fetch(
  class="code-string">'https:class="code-comment">//companybelgium.be/api/companies/0123456789',
  {
    headers: {
      class="code-string">'X-API-Key': class="code-string">'pk_live_your_public_key',
      class="code-string">'X-API-Secret': class="code-string">'sk_live_your_secret_key',
    },
  }
);

const company = await response.json();
console.log(class="code-string">`Status: ${company.status}`);          class="code-comment">// Active / Ceased
console.log(class="code-string">`Legal form: ${company.legalForm}`);
console.log(class="code-string">`Start date: ${company.startDate}`);

Practical use cases for professionals in Bruges

For horeca suppliers

If you supply food products, beverages or professional equipment to Bruges restaurants and hotels, the Company Belgium API enables you to:

• Identify new prospects: search for all active horeca businesses in postal codes 8000 to 8380 (Greater Bruges)

• Check solvency: review the legal status and creation date to assess the stability of a potential client

• Detect new businesses: track new registrations in the horeca sector to be the first to offer your services

For investors and estate agents

Bruges attracts a steady stream of investors in commercial and tourism real estate. With the API, you can:

• Analyse business density by street or neighbourhood

• Check the history of a going concern before acquisition

• Identify areas where new businesses are setting up

For compliance and KYC/AML

Professionals with verification obligations (banks, accountants, notaries) can automate their due diligence process by querying the API for every tourism business they collaborate with. See how automated KYC verification via the API streamlines compliance workflows.

Bruges beyond tourism: Zeebrugge and international trade

The port of Zeebrugge, integrated since 2022 into the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, is a major player in European maritime trade. Hundreds of logistics, transport and international trade companies are registered in the port zone. The Company Belgium API also allows you to explore this economic fabric by filtering on NACE codes related to maritime transport (50.2) and logistics (52.1). For a regional perspective, you can also explore companies in Ghent or browse the full Flanders business landscape.

Why choose Company Belgium for your research in Bruges?

• Official BCE/KBO data updated daily

• Fast and reliable REST API with response times under 200 ms

• Advanced filters: location, NACE code, legal form, status

• Comprehensive documentation in English, French and Dutch

• Flexible plans suitable for freelancers and large enterprises alike

Take action

Whether you want to expand your partner network in the Bruges tourism sector, verify the reliability of a horeca subcontractor, or conduct market research on the local economy, Company Belgium gives you access to the most complete BCE data available.

Create your free account on Company Belgium and start exploring Bruges companies and the entire Belgian business landscape today.