Belgians take shorter and cheaper trips, mostly inside Europe

But a European travel barometer report shows that the Belgians’ budget as well as provided time have declined.

Travel assistance and insurance company Europ Assistance surveyed 3,150 Europeans (Belgians, British, French, Germans, Italians, Spanish, and Austrians), to learn more about their holiday plans.

More holiday-makers, shorter stays

Fifty-seven percent of Belgians will go on vacation during the summer months. Last year, this was significantly less with only 47 percent. However, the average holiday budget has decreased by 202 euros to EUR 2,375 per family.

The fact that more Belgians are travelling also impacts the duration of the vacation. On the one hand, the number of Belgians taking a break abroad for longer than three weeks has plummeted to only 20 percent. In 2014, this was still 27 percent. On the other hand, 31 percent of Belgians will go for one week (26 percent in 2014), and 48 percent will go for two weeks (45 percent in 2014).

Europe more popular

Almost eight out of ten Belgians choose a European destination. The top three consists of France (30 percent), Spain (12 percent), and Italy (10 percent). Another tenth of Belgians choose to spend their vacation somewhere in their own country.

With so many inter-Europe travellers, it’s no surprise that the car is the most popular means of transportation with 53 percent. The airplane is on number two with 43 percent. Then, surprisingly, 18 percent of Belgians is open to carpooling to their holiday destination as an alternative way of getting there.

Finally, Europ Assistance paints a picture of the average Belgian holiday-maker. “He books his holiday in advance over the internet, choosing a two-week stay at a European destination he gets to by car or by plane. He goes there looking for peace and quiet, the sun, and preferably the beach.”

Flandersnews.be / Expatica