Hotels in Ghent are already nearly fully booked for the weekends in December. The sector reports reservations for 85 per cent of all rooms. On weekdays, occupancy levels are lower, although hotels still expect many last-minute bookings during the week. Tourists are no longer coming exclusively from neighbouring countries. Spaniards and an increasing number of Brits and Americans are now also easily finding their way to Ghent.
Ghent boasts some 3,200 hotel rooms. During December weekends, 85 per cent of them are already booked. ‘There are still rooms to be had, but bookings are going very well,’ says Rudy De Wit, a representative of the local hotel industry. On weekdays, occupancy levels are around 62 per cent. ‘That number will grow further to almost 72 per cent thanks to last-minute bookings. Weekends will be completely fully booked.’
‘We do see that people are waiting longer before booking. There are more last-minute bookings. This is a trend that is really continuing from recent months. Hotel rooms are getting more expensive. Guests are advised to book early.’ The sector is now reporting figures similar to those in 2019, before the pandemic.
‘Ghent is in a good place for American tourists’
The East Flemish capital is hosting its Winter Festivities from 5 to 31 December. Last year, the city attracted more than 2 million visitors over the broader Christmas period. The Christmas market, roller-skating rink and stalls all attract foreign tourists who stay in Ghent overnight. ‘We traditionally see a lot of Dutch guests. French people and Germans also come to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere.’
‘In recent years, we have noticed Spaniards are also finding their way to Ghent. A lot of Spanish can be heard in Ghent streets during the end-of-year festivities. In part this is also due to the many Erasmus students here. Recently, we also started seeing more British visitors. Excitingly, Ghent is also catching on in America. We are seeing a growing group of tourists from the US.’