Belgians will travel later in the year and closer to home
Spring holidays (Easter) are less successful with the ban on non-essential travel and Belgians are postponing their trips until the fall.
Lhe company TUI recorded 60% fewer bookings in January and February compared to the same months last year, said the tour operator Wednesday, explaining these figures by the health crisis. The first few months of the year usually have a large portion of summer bookings. People who have already booked vacations are older than in previous years and plan to travel closer to home.
Half of the couples who booked are over 55 years old, 20% more than in other years. “They are among the first age groups to receive the vaccine and hope to be able to travel safely soon,” says TUI.
Another development: 23% of travelers now choose a vacation less than 500 km from home. However, they were only 10% in 2019.
Spring holidays (Easter) are less successful with the ban on non-essential travel and Belgians are postponing their trips until the fall. In January and February 2019, 48% of bookings were for a departure in April, May or June, compared to just 11% for September or October. This year, 26% of reservations concern a departure in spring, against 28% in autumn.