Nearly three-quarters of Belgians (72%) intend to go on holiday this summer, despite lower average budgets and security concerns, according to the 25th Europ Assistance Holiday Barometer released on Tuesday.
The rate is nearly as high as last year. While 74% of Belgians said they are very enthusiastic about going away, this figure is down slightly by two points and remains below the European average (79%).
Among those planning to travel, 46% will only go once, and 26% are planning several trips. July remains the preferred month for 38% of vacationers.
The survey, conducted by Ipsos among 26,001 people worldwide between February 27 and April 7, also reveals that security concerns, particularly related to the war in the Middle East, are cited by 82% of Belgians as a factor weighing on their vacation plans, up four points compared to 2025.
Inflation and high prices remain the primary source of concern (88%), ahead of climate change (79%). Across Europe, 30% of respondents cite safety as one of the criteria motivating their choice of destination, a figure that rises to 32% in North America and 37% in North Asia.
The average holiday budget for Belgian households this year is €2,545, compared to €2,710 in 2025, with a slight regional disparity as Dutch speakers plan to spend an average of €2,586 compared to €2,504 for French speakers.
This amount places Belgium third in Europe, behind Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Coastal holidays remain the most popular (64%, +2 points), followed by city breaks (29%, +5 points), the countryside (22%), and the mountains (20%, -6 points).
Belgians favour European destinations (76%).
France remains the top choice (22%), followed by Belgium (20%, +5 points) and Italy (12%, +5 points). Preferences vary by region. French speakers are more drawn to France (29%) and Italy (15%), while Dutch speakers slightly favour holidays in Belgium (21%), Spain (13%), Greece (8%), and the Netherlands (7%).
Among the destinations Belgians say they want to avoid are Iran (15%), Israel (11%), the United States (10%), Russia (8%), and Afghanistan (7%).
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also becoming increasingly important in travel planning: 22% of Belgians use it to plan and book their holidays, five points higher than projected for 2025. However, this proportion remains significantly lower than that observed in India (70%) or the Middle East (60%).
More than one in four respondents (26%) would entrust the entire organisation of their trip to AI, although human advice remains preferred by 55% of respondents for choosing insurance.
