Changeable weather causes fall in the number of tourists at our coastal resorts

The weather, a lack of last-minute reservations and the late start of the school summer holidays in French-medium education in Belgium are all cited as reasons for the fall in visitor numbers. However, during the past month there was a noticeable rise in the number of Germans visiting our coastal resorts.

Whether it was just for weekend, a midweek break at the seaside or for a longer stay, there were over 5 million overnight stays in tourist accommodation at the Flemish coast during July. This is 10% down on the number of overnight stays during July 2022.

Nevertheless, the number of foreign tourists was up by 10% on July last year. German, French and Dutch tourists in particular found there way to our coastal resorts in large numbers.

During July average hotel occupancy has been around 70%. The fall in the number of visitors to our coastal resorts this month compared with July last years is probably due to three main factors. This year for the first time the school holidays for pupils in French-medium education in Belgium started a week later than in previous years. There has also been a fall in the number of last minute reservations that in turn is quite probably linked to the changeable weather that we have been experiencing this month. 

Self-catering accommodation was less impacted by the factors listed above. The number of overnight stay booked in self-catering accommodation at the Flemish coast this July has remained more or less the same as it was in July last year.

On days when there is a lot of sun, like the weekend of 8 and 9 July, tourists flock to the coast in their droves. That weekend 300,000 tourists visited our coastal resorts.

As things currently stand,s booking for next month are down around 7% on last year. However, this could change, especially if there is another period of sunny weather sometime next month.