.Vlaanderen and .Brussels Domain Names Now Open To ALL

Starting from January 20,2015, anyone is able to register a domain name ending in .Brussels and .Vlaanderen. Registrations will be on a first come, first served basis.

You can read the announcement after the jump :

“Starting from today, 20 January 2015, anyone can register a domain name ending in .vlaanderen or .brussels provided it is still available. Registrations will be on a first come, first served basis, as they are with .be domain names.

Anyone registering a domain name should think carefully about the extension that is most suitable for their company, project or whoever they want to reach.

Start-up companies, organisations, government departments and private citizens who choose a domain name that has a regional extension such as .vlaanderen and .brussels to improve their local online marketing. By promoting their geographical identity in this way, they can also strengthen their links with consumers and interested visitors to their website.

Who do we aim to reach through the .vlaanderen and .brussels extensions?

    businesses that want to emphasise their Flemish identity. Ccompanies and individuals who are proud of their region and who demonstrate that pride by using a .vlaanderen domain name.
    a brand, activity or event that is linked to the area or town where it is located (café, restaurant, festival, etc.) and that is known locally. One example would be festival.brussels.
    organisations, activities where a town or region is part of the URL. Using the new extension, it becomes smarter and more to-the-point, making it easier to remember them.
    International organisations or brands wanting to gain local awareness or open a local branch. They can also benefit from having a local extension so that they can reach more local consumers.

Choosing the right extension makes it easier for people to find your website on search engines. This is particularly true if your target audience is regional and your website features regional content.

All of which means that it is definitely worth taking the trouble to think carefully about your choice of extension. Choose the extension that suits you – one that benefits your company, product or specialities and that will serve your target audience better. It may be a .be, .brussels or .vlaanderen domain name, or one of the many other extensions available.

Anyone wanting to register a .vlaanderen or .brussels domain name should contact one of the registrars or resellers listed at www.dnsbelgium.be.”