Belgium is Recovering in Tourism Sector Post-Pandemic
The Belgian citizens have increased their international travels more compared to the time between 2020 and 2021, which was during the pandemic lockdown. This is a great indication of the recovery of the tourism sector of Belgium.
Based on data collected from Tourism Flanders, even though some changes in travelling and tourism patterns among Belgians have been observed, the country is on the track to recovery.
Due to the lockdown, the Belgians had become accustomed to travelling within the country’s borders, whether it was for the holidays, family vacations or just to get away from their daily routine. This was the common practice among every European.
Peter De Wilde, the CEO of Tourism Flanders stated, “I have seen from the front row how difficult our tourist entrepreneurs have had it during COVID-19, but I am especially proud that, despite everything, they never gave up, and now again receive plenty of visitors from home and abroad to enjoy all the assets that make Flanders such a unique tourist destination.”
The number of last-minute bookings for trips, up to around two weeks before departure, had increased significantly during the pandemic. In 2022, this number increased to about a month in advance, which seems to be reaching the pre-pandemic levels.
The report further reveals that during the pandemic, people in the country preferred to travel by car as air travel entailed a lot of restrictions. However, after the summer of 2021, those restrictions were eased off and travelling via air became popular again.
Getting sick while travelling became a major concern for people since the pandemic, so people started paying more attention to cleanliness in accommodations and attractions. Additionally, striking, as well as booking and cancellation conditions also gained more attention.
Data collected from StatBel revealed that during the month of May the number of overnight stays was close to 3.8 million, with the most being spent at hotels (46 per cent), holiday homes and flats, and holiday centres and holiday villages.