The tourist industry in the coastal resorts of West Flanders says that is pleased with visitor numbers during the long Feast of the Assumption weekend. Between Thursday 15 and Sunday 18 August, the West Flemish tourist board Westtoer recorded some 975,000 overnight stays and 480,000 day-trippers at our coastal resorts. This is down slightly on the same period last year. The figures show that the coast remains one of Belgium's favourite holiday destinations.
The tourist industry along the West Flemish coast had already seen brisk business in recent weeks. The weather during the long holiday weekend was not as good as it has been recently, and this is reflected in the figures for visitor numbers. Between 15 August and 18 August, the number of overnight stays was 975,000. This is around 2% down on the same period in 2023. 85% of all hotel rooms were occupied. This is down slightly on the Assumption weekend last year. Meanwhile, the number of day-trippers (480,000) was down 10% on the same period last year.
Despite the slight fall in visitor numbers the tourist industry says that it is satisfied. Westtoer’s Chairwomen, the liberal provincial cabinet member Sabien Lahaye-Battheu, told journalists that "Generally speaking the period between 15 July and 15 August has been excellent for tourism at the coast. But in recent years the coast has become a destination for all four seasons”.
Around two-thirds of the coastal tourist industry’s turnover is generated outside the summer season. As has long been the case, a large number of tourists at the coastal resorts of West Flanders come from Wallonia and Brussels. They account for a quarter of all overnight stays. Our region’s 67km-coast also attracts large numbers of visitors from abroad, particularly from neighbouring countries such as Germany, France and The Netherlands.