Successful summer off the coast

For July and August, Westtoer records approximately 11 million overnight stays. The hotels had an average occupancy of 85 percent. This is four percent more than last year. Foreign holidaymakers from neighboring countries account for about 13 percent of all overnight stays. About five million day trippers have visited the Coast in July and August.

The extended weekend of 15 August was the peak for both residential and day tourism, with 880,000 overnight stays and 400,000 day tourists. Especially Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 August were the best days. Sabien Lahaye-Battheu, deputy and chairman of Westtoer: “A summer holiday on the coast remains a valued classic among many domestic and foreign holidaymakers. The tourism sector provides a contemporary and high-quality offer, but the traditional assets, with the beach and the sea in the foreground, are still highly appreciated. Today’s tourist pays more than ever to less crowded places and to active life by the sea”. Westtoer records about 11 million overnight stays for July and August. This is a status quo compared to the summer holidays of 2021, but seven percent higher than the pre-corona summer of 2019. Despite the revival of foreign flight holidays, many Belgians still opt for a weekend or holiday by the sea.

foreigners

Foreign tourists also find their way back to our coast. About 13 percent of tourist overnight stays were by foreign guests. In 2021 this was 11 percent. Especially at the hotels we notice a return of foreign guests. In the summer holidays of 2021, foreign guests accounted for about 20 percent of the total booked rooms, while this summer this amounts to 31 percent.