The number of nights spent by visitors to Belgium’s coastal areas almost doubled during this year’s Carnaval Holidays, compared to the corresponding period of 2020, the provincial tourism body, Westtoer, reported on Sunday.
Reservations with local leasing offices during the Spring holidays were 20% to 30% higher than in 2020, while hotels expressed satisfaction at their occupancy levels. Visitors spent an estimated 750,000 nights by the sea, almost double the 2020 Carnaval Holiday number of 375,000.
Rentals of vacation homes and apartments, in particular, went up significantly. Tourism agencies registered increases of 20% to 30% compared to last year, and occupancy rates of 60% to 70%. Many people also went to their secondary residences.
Hotels reported occupancy rates of about 80% during the first weekend, 50% to 60% at midweek, and about 70% in the second weekend.
According to Westtoer, the beautiful weather that graced the second half of the holiday was one of the main things that sent large numbers of people heading for the sea.
The Brussels Times
