Holidaymakers choose to stay close to home

Belgians took more holidays in their own country last year than in previous years, according to the Federal Public Service for the Economy. Compared to 2014, Belgians also chose to take shorter holidays, usually consisting of one to three nights.

The coast and the Ardennes were particularly popular, especially for short breaks of up to three nights. Last year, about 42% of Belgian holidaymakers opted for this type of trip, compared to 30% the year before. The proportion of Belgians deciding to take holidays in their own country stands at its highest level in five years.

For vacations of four nights and more, Belgians often chose to stay here, though the rise in this category is less striking: 13.5%, compared to 11.27% in 2014.

Other figures were more or less stable. As in 2014, about 60% of Belgians went on holiday in 2015. Brussels residents were the keenest vacationers (68%), ahead of those in Flanders (63%) and Wallonia (54%).

The favourite destinations remained stable compared with previous years. For short trips, Belgium remained the most popular destination (41.7%), followed by France (21.2%) and the Netherlands (12.5%).

Photo courtesy Toerisme Zeebrugge