The Belgian coast experienced a successful Christmas holiday season, with tourist overnight stays reaching 1.7 million, a 3% increase compared to last year.
The second week of the holiday was the most popular, attracting a significant number of visitors. Peak periods included the weekend following Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Hotels saw an average occupancy rate of 45%, with New Year’s Eve as an exception, reaching 80%. Last-minute bookings were common, accounting for a quarter of all reservations made after the holiday had started.
Most overnight tourists were Belgians, with Flemish visitors accounting for more than half. Approximately 23% came from French-speaking Belgium, while 17% of stays were by international visitors.
Around 750,000 day-trippers also visited the coast, a 4% increase compared to last year. Saturday 27 December and Sunday 28 December were the busiest days, each drawing roughly 85,000 visitors.
Jurgen Vanlerberghe, Westtoer’s chairperson and tourism deputy, noted the region’s appeal as a year-round destination. Activities such as coastal walks, shopping in festive seaside towns, and enjoying diverse culinary offerings contributed to its popularity.
Winter events further boosted visitor numbers. In Ostend, the debut of the illuminated and audio-enhanced walking experience ‘Lichtgolf’ sold over 25,000 tickets, while Knokke-Heist’s winter fireworks display attracted thousands of spectators.
