Three out of four Belgians ‘plan summer break’

16 June 2004

BRUSSELS – About three out of four Belgians plan to go on holiday this summer, though most of them are unlikely to venture beyond Europe, it was reported Wednesday.

A new poll by travel insurance firm Europ Assistance and market research group IFOP found that 77 percent of Belgians plan to go on vacation this summer. The same percentage will vacation in Europe, where top destinations include France, Spain and Italy, ranked in order of popularity.

On a European-wide scale, Belgians are the least likely to spend their vacation in their own country. The poll found that 14% of Belgians polled plan to spend their vacation at home, compared to a 52% Europe-wide average stay-at-home rate. 

Some two-thirds (64 percent) of Belgians prefer a seaside holiday, though an increasing number are lured by the countryside or mountains.

Among Belgians that plan to venture farther from home, 52 percent will head to Asia, 27 percentto North America and 22 percent to Africa. Nearly half (47 percent) of Belgians polled said their vacation plans were not influenced by the terrorism or the international situation.

The average Belgian summer vacation lasts 2.3 weeks, just under the 2.4-week European average. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of Belgians prefer to take a road trip, while the rest opt to fly.

As for the goal of their vacation, 60 percent of respondents said it was to rest, 58 percent to discover new places and 34 percent to be with family. About a fifth of Belgians spend more than EUR 2,500 while on vacation.

[Copyright Expatica 2004]

Subject : Belgian news