Despite the ongoing financial pressures many face in the country, last year broke the record for the number of trips taken by residents of Belgium, according to data published on Wednesday by the Belgian statistics office, Statbel.
Last year, residents of Belgium took a record of 23.7 million trips. This not only surpassed pre-pandemic numbers but also marked a 2.1% increase in trips compared to 2023, which previously held the Belgian record.
While the total number of trips last year includes both business and leisure, the vast majority of residents travelling in 2024 were going on holiday.
Around 22.1 million of journeys last year were for holidays, with August being the busiest month, registering 3.9 million trips. This marked an increase compared to the previous year, where around 21.9 million trips were for holidays. Just like in 2024, August was the busiest month for holidays, with 3.7 million.
In contrast, around 1.4 million business trips were taken last year. The busiest month for those travelling for work was June, with 204 thousand. This trend was similar to 2023, were around 1.4 million work trips were taken. However, in 2023, the busiest month for business trips was March, with 226 thousand trips.
Additionally, last year saw an increase in the average number of overnight stays. In 2024, a total of 181.4 million overnight stays were recorded, representing a 10.9% increase from 2023. The majority of trips last year included overnight stays of four nights or longer.
Favourite destinations
Just like in 2023, France was the most popular destination for Belgians travelling abroad in 2024. Last year saw a 4.3% increase in travel to France compared to 2023, with a total of 5.6 million trips recorded.
While Spain and the Netherlands remained once again within the top 3 destinations for Belgium, Spain climbed the rankings in 2024, surpassing the Netherlands for second place. Last year, trips to Spain increased by 5.1%, while trips to the Netherlands dropped by 11.2%.
Notably, Portugal and Morocco dropped out of the top 10 destinations for Belgians in 2024. Meanwhile, Switzerland and Turkey entered the top ranking last year.
Belgians took 386 thousand trips to Turkey last year, an increase of 16% compared to 2023. Remarkably, Switzerland was the destination for 360 thousand, marking a sharp increase of 60.2% compared to the previous year.
In terms of overnight stays, France and Spain maintained their positions in the rankings. Both countries saw an increase of overnight stays, with France recording 41.4 million overnight stays from Belgians (6.3% increase), while Spain had 21.9 million overnight stays (18% increase).
The two countries were followed by Italy in this category, which had 11.5 million overnight stays in 2024. This marked a decreased compared to 2023, when it registered 12.4 million overnight stays.
Notably, while Turkey was the 9th most popular destination for Belgians, it ranked fourth in terms of overnight stays. Last year, the country had 8.7 million overnight stays, a remarkable 72.8% increase compared to 2023.
The Statbel data was derived from its annual 'Survey on holidays and travels', which measures the travel habits of people residing in Belgium. Since 2014, the survey has taken into account day trips.
