This year's autumn holiday was largely cold and wet, resulting in a drop in the number of people visiting and staying overnight on the Belgian coast.
Compared to last year's sunny autumn break, the period this year was notably rainy, which seemed to impact the coastal tourism sector’s numbers. Provincial company Westtoer reported around 1.1 million tourist stays over the two weeks, a 12% decrease from last year.
During the first week, when French-speaking schools were the only ones on holiday due to a 2022 reform, a total of 250,000 overnight stays were recorded. In the second week, when Dutch-speaking schools were also on a break, 850,000 overnight stays took place at the coast. Overall, the decline amounts to 12% compared to 2022.
Hotels encountered an average occupancy of 40% for the past two weeks, down by 9% compared to this period in 2022. This situation differed from one seaside resort to another. Poor weather also resulted in fewer last-minute bookings.
"Despite the fluctuating weather, the coast remains a favoured holiday destination for Flemings and French-speaking Belgians during the autumn holiday," Sabien Lahaye-Battheu, the Deputy and chair of Westtoer, noted.
