Households
After having to suspend their travel plans for almost two years, there is a significant upturn in early 2022. Belgians made more than 4 million trips in the first quarter of 2022. They made 27% more trips in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the average for the first quarters of 2016-2019. These include:
- 46% more trips within Belgium, of which +79% to the coast;
- 21% more trips abroad, of which +51% to France but -6% outside the EU;
- 33% more holiday trips.
However, there were still 26% fewer business trips compared to the same period in 2016-2019. Some business trips may be permanently replaced by online meetings.
The graph below clearly shows how Belgians adjusted their travel behaviour during the COVID-19 crisis and steadily increased their travel from the beginning of 2021 onwards.