Tour operators have seen a surge in last minute bookings as Belgians desperately clamour to avoid the rainy weather, sometimes at great expense, Het Belang van Limburg reports.
Belgians are jetting off to sunny destinations such as Rhodes in Greece or Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands. But last minute bookings have their risks: prices can often be extortionate due to high demand. Those who book also have to be flexible and choose dates based on availability.
"We've seen an increase in booking in the last week and the past few days," TUI spokesperson Sarah Suacin told Het Belang van Limburg. "Those who book now are travelling for the sun."
There are still some bargains, even when booking last minute and particularly for package holidays. For €549 per person, it is possible to get five days half-board in Bodrum (Turkey). For €589, five days in a four-star hotel in Tenerife in late August. For the same trip departing on 3 August, the price rises to €849.
TUI says that it is witnessing a surge in demand for the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands from Belgian customers. Their most popular destination remains Rhodes in Greece.
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Tour operator Corendon has equally seen a surge in interest for destinations in Turkey, Greece and Egypt. Dutch tourists, on the other hand, favour the Dutch Antilles (Bonaire) over Egypt.
According to a study by HelloSafe, 86% of Belgians plan to travel abroad this year. In contrast, a study conducted by the European Trade Union Institute and the European Trade Union Confederation in July suggested that many Belgians would stay home this year as the average price of package holidays in the EU has shot up by 12.4% between January and May this year.
