Tourist overnight stays at the coast increased by 6% in July this year compared to the same period last year, according to figures released by Westtoer, the regional tourism organisation.
A total of 4.9 million overnight stays were recorded, alongside approximately 2.4 million day-trippers visiting the seaside during the month.
The sunny and warm start to the summer holiday season led to an early boost in coastal tourism, despite the fact that the summer break for French-speaking Belgians only began on 7 July.
“July was generally positive for the hospitality sector at the coast, with good average occupancy rates in hotels and accommodations,” said Bart Boelens, chairman of Horeca Middenkust. However, he noted that negative weather forecasts around the weekend of 21 July led to caution with bookings, although day-tripper numbers remained steady, which buoyed local businesses.
Flemish tourists accounted for 61% of overnight stays, followed by French-speaking Belgians at 23%, while international tourists made up 16%.
July saw 2.4 million day visitors to the coast, a decrease of 2% from 2024. The weekend of 12 and 13 July was a highlight, bringing in 300,000 day tourists over the two days. The average hotel occupancy rate stood at 70%, maintaining the same level as the previous year.
