The French capital is usually a top destination among Belgians booking a short trip, but due to the high costs of hotels as a result of the Olympic Games, their interest has shifted to other cities.
Over the past years, Paris has been the top destination for Belgians booking summer city breaks, mainly due to its proximity and the fact trains from Brussels are relatively cheap and fast, travel company TUI noted. However, this summer, that is not the case.
"Due to the Olympic Games, Paris hotels are considerably more expensive than in previous years," spokesperson Piet Demeyere said. The French capital will host the Olympic Games from 26 July to 11 August.
"The hotels expect a much higher demand and are therefore raising their prices sharply, not only during the Games but also for the entire holiday season," he added. Staying in Paris is 25% more expensive this summer.
As a result, Paris has seen significantly lower bookings (-23%) and tumbled to seventh place in terms of favourite city trips among Belgians, who are increasingly opting for other destinations.
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Overall, the number of people going on city trips has increased by 35% since last year. The drop in Paris bookings has been compensated by significant increases in all other cities, however. Cities experiencing the strongest surge are New York (+117% in TUI bookings), even though this trip costs an average of €850/person for four days, and Vienna (+222%).
The number of bookings in Rome increased by 10%, making it the most popular destination among Belgians, followed by New York and Barcelona.
