A large number of Belgians are gearing up for holidays, with some even heading for multiple locations in a travel-filled summer. But whilst some are expanding their horizons others are looking to save costs and fit their journeys to their budget.
More than six in ten Belgians are definitely going on holiday this summer and almost half will have at least two holidays, the summer survey of VAB travel assistance showed. The urge to travel is particularly high (72%) among those aged 18–24.
More than half of people planning to travel state that they won't be held back by the energy crisis or cost of living crisis, with summer holidays planned as normal; 8% even have plans to travel more than usual. On the other hand, 28% will travel less or for less time than last year.
When asked about this year's travel budget, VAB found that 12% of respondents plan to spend more than in 2022. Meanwhile 37% intend to spend as much as last year. But the insurer highlighted the 30% of respondents that will keep their hand on the purse strings and spend less than last year.
But rather than resist travelling entirely, respondents intend to make savings mainly by spending less on restaurants and excursions.
Can Belgium be a holiday?
Almost one in three people will not travel beyond Belgian borders for their holidays. Once again, the coast is the most popular Belgian destination (62% of people staying in Belgium will go there) followed by the Ardennes.
But despite the appeal that Belgium has for some, young people of the 18-24 age group are less persuaded by the home attractions – just 15% will stay in Belgium during their holidays. The study's authors highlighted a general attitude among this group: "For most young people, it is only really a holiday when they leave Belgium."
Of travellers who choose to go abroad, almost eight in ten will be staying somewhere in Europe. France is by far the top destination (as is frequently the case), followed by Spain and Italy. For those travelling outside of Europe, over four in ten will take a trip to Africa.
More than half of people plan to go on holiday in July, although many over-65s choose to travel outside the school holidays (June and September) to avoid the large crowds and higher prices.
Remarkably, 10% of respondents said they will be travelling alone. By contrast, almost one in five Belgians choose to travel with friends. For young people this figure goes up to 37%.
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While Belgians' appetite for travelling is greater than ever, VAB noted a wariness that has developed since the pandemic: "There is a clear increase in the number of cancellation insurance policies, which are up 49.3% in 2022 compared to 2019."
