Despite the crisis, Belgians don’t cut corners on their holidays, that’s a fact. But where and how will they go? Europ Assistance provides answers to this question with its flagship annual barometer. Overview.
Purposes and duration of travel
“70% of Belgians say they will travel this summer, a slight decrease of 1 point compared to 2022. As a reminder, last year saw a sharp increase after the Covid-19 crisis. The current rate is one of the highest in recent years, we know. While short-term vacations (max. 1 week) remained the same in 2022 (39% of travelers), 2-week vacations increased by 4 points (38%). Vacations of 3 weeks or more decreased by 4 points (23%).“
The crisis is still weighing on the holidays
If Belgians were interested in the idea of leaving and were willing to put money into it, some still had to choose not to leave. “Among Belgians who say they are not going on vacation this summer (30%), the main reasons are financial (76%, i.e. 12 points more than in 2022).“
Destinations and types of accommodation
“77% of Belgians say they spend their summer holidays in Europe, which is 2 points less than in 2022. Places like Asia or the Middle East increased by one point (10%). North America attracts 2% of passengers (-1 pt). Among the most popular destinations for Belgians, we regularly find France (29%, -1 pt), Belgium (26%, -1 pt) and Spain (18). %, -4 points), Italy (13%, +2 points) and the Netherlands (8%, -1 points)”, referring to the barometer.
For accommodation, hotel stays are becoming fashionable again. “They are becoming popular again before the coronavirus crisis (51%, +4 points), as well as in houses or apartments (34%, +5 points) for vacation rentals. 18% of vacationers choose to stay with friends, family or in their second residence.“
The average budget… drops!
This is quite surprising given the context, but it also proves that Belgians are changing some habits to get out. “The average Belgian holiday budget for this summer (i.e. the average of all types of family formations) decreased by 4.7% (after a 15% increase last year) to €2,182 (€2,289 in 2022). This year, low holiday budgets (<€1,000) 2022 இல் (24%, +3 புள்ளிகள்) சற்றே அதிகமாக உள்ளன, அதே நேரத்தில் அதிக விடுமுறை பட்ஜெட்டுகள் (> € 2,500) are decreasing (27%, – 3 points).“
Also, inflation has a direct impact on Belgians’ holidays. “This factor influences the number of destinations or the type of accommodation (26%), the distance traveled (24%) or the budget allocated to activities and outings (21%) for a quarter of Belgians.“
“Total coffee junkie. Tv ninja. Unapologetic problem solver. Beer expert.”