Belgium's tourism sector clocked a record 51 million overnight stays last year, largely in coastal areas and Brussels.
The country's tourist overnight stays have seen a historical growth trend in all categories, with a 4.3% surge from the pre-pandemic levels of 49.5 million recorded in 2019, according to l'Echo.
Data from Statbel reveals a significant 43 million overnight stays in 2022 across various tourist accommodations, such as hotels, youth hostels, and holiday centres, compared to the 42.5 million nights in 2019. In addition, more than 8.6 million overnight stays were booked via online platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia, compared to 1.6 million in 2019.
Regional differences in tourism growth
The growth, however, was not uniform across the country. West Flanders led the tally in 2022 with over 14 million overnight stays, followed by Brussels and Antwerp province at 7 million and 6 million respectively. The Belgian Ardennes's Luxembourg province, the leading region in Wallonia, reported over 4.1 million overnight stays.
Etienne Claude, CEO of Visit Wallonia, told l'Echo in an interview that the regions' offerings differentiate them, with Brussels being business-focused, Flanders offering coastal attractions and art cities, and Wallonia focusing on green tourism.
Wallonia registered a total of 12 million overnight stays in 2022, surpassing 2019's figures. This aligns with their strategy to increase the average visitor spend, the number and duration of stays, according to Claude.
In 2022, the majority of tourists were Belgians, who accounted for over 26 million overnight stays, while foreign tourism contributed 25 million overnight stays. Dutch, French, and German tourists made up the majority of these foreign visitors.
Claude disclosed plans to now target the North American and Japanese markets to boost international tourism, in line with the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. The aim is to lure tourists who had been put off by Europe due to Covid-19 regulations.
Early figures for 2023 suggest a promising start, with overnight stays exceeding last year's record by 1.1 million nights in the first quarter. However, uncertainties could change this trend due to changes in holiday schedules in Francophone and Dutch regions, according to Claude.
Data from Airbnb shows that the most popular Belgian cities in the first quarter of 2023 were Flemish coastal cities and locations close to the country's largest music festivals.
