More requests for cheaper holidays and trips: “30% cancel due to, for example, high energy bills”

Thirteen percent of Flemish people cannot afford to take a week’s holiday. And there will be more because of the crisis. “We see that we receive 35 percent more requests from people who want to make use of the ‘Everyone Deserves Holiday’ offer. On the other hand, we see that unfortunately 30 percent more have to cancel, because they just have to pay the energy bill, for example,” says Jeroen Marijsse of the ‘Everyone Deserves Holiday’ Network of Tourism Flanders.

Free offer

The Network brings all partners together in Bruges at the annual forum. The tourism sector itself offers cheap packages. “We have our own offer, such as cheap rates for museums and tourist attractions. But we also have a free offer,” says Rudy Van der Weren of Tourism Gent.

If you are interested, you can also visit a Rap Op Stap office nearby. They will then check whether you qualify.