Vlaanderen Vakantieland faced a challenge many tourism organisations will recognise: three separate websites, fragmented tooling and a brand in need of renewal. That fragmentation was holding back further digitalisation and making maintenance unnecessarily complex. Together, we built one integrated digital platform that seamlessly connects 500,000+ annual visitors with 1,300 accommodations, laying the foundation for ambitious future plans.
Three websites consolidated into one scalable Drupal 10 platform
Full data migration with minimal manual effort
SEO value preserved through careful migration strategy
Refreshed UX for both visitors and accommodation managers
Winner of a Splash Award 2024
The challenge
How do you consolidate three outdated websites and various tooling into one future-proof platform without losing years of accumulated SEO value?
The solution
A streamlined Drupal 10 platform that unifies content, accommodation management and visitor experience, with a seamless migration and solid analytics foundation.
Vlaanderen Vakantieland x iO: building digital growth in tourism together
Vlaanderen Vakantieland has been a trusted brand for Belgians looking to explore their own country for decades. Behind the well-known TV programme is Logeren in Vlaanderen vzw, an organisation that promotes holiday experiences in Belgium and supports accommodations with marketing and entrepreneurship.
Our collaboration is part of a broader story. Following successful projects for UiTinVlaanderen, Canon van Vlaanderen and Lekker van bij ons, another established Flemish brand chose iO. We think strategically about digital growth and help the organisation stay ahead in a changing tourism market. This case highlights the website migration, but our partnership extends further.
Why a single digital tourism platform became essential
For years, Vlaanderen Vakantieland operated with three separate websites and various tools. It worked, but it was not scalable. Every change required triple the effort, consistency was hard to maintain and technical debt was growing. The brand's rebranding was the ideal moment to thoroughly renew the digital foundation.
The goal was clear: one platform that both inspires consumers and supports the 1,300 affiliated accommodations. A platform that works today and enables tomorrow's ambitious digitalisation plans.
Drupal 10 as a foundation for scalability
The choice for Drupal 10 was deliberate. This open-source CMS offers the flexibility an organisation with diverse audiences needs: inspiring content for holidaymakers, plus practical management features for accommodation owners. The modular architecture makes it easy to add new functionality without disrupting the core.
With iO's help, all existing data was migrated to the new CMS. Automation kept manual work to a minimum, saving time and reducing error risk.
Preserving SEO value during a complex migration
Both Vlaanderen Vakantieland and Logeren in Vlaanderen had built up considerable SEO value over the years. That search engine visibility is crucial for a tourism organisation. A migration without strategy would have wiped out that value.
Our SEO and go-to-market experts developed a detailed migration plan, including a comprehensive redirect plan. The result: a smooth transition that preserved organic traffic and laid the groundwork for further growth in search results.
Analytics that deliver real insight
A digital tourism platform only delivers value when you understand how visitors use it. That is why we invested in a comprehensive measurement plan and careful analytics configuration. The setup respects GDPR legislation and visitor privacy, while accurately mapping behaviour.
These data insights form the basis for continuous optimisation. What works, we strengthen. What can be improved, we adjust.
A refreshed accommodation portal that simplifies management
For the 1,300 hotels, b&bs and holiday homes on the platform, ease of use is essential. The refreshed accommodation portal makes it easier than ever to manage and promote a property. Accommodation owners have more control, fewer barriers and a direct line to potential guests.
The numbers
1
Websites consolidated into one platform
1
Accommodations on the platform
1
Registered users
1+
Visitors per year
1+
Activities
A digital foundation built for ambition
The refreshed website is more than a technical upgrade. It is the springboard for Vlaanderen Vakantieland's future plans. Now the architecture is in place, the organisation can continue to digitise: online renewal of accommodation memberships, a webshop for holiday vouchers and online ticket sales are all on the horizon.
For visitors, it means an inspiring, fast experience. For accommodation owners, simpler management and better visibility. And for the organisation itself: less technical overhead, more strategic focus. Experiencing Flanders has never been easier.
