First quarter 2024: one in three Belgians chooses France for their travels abroad
Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, publishes today the figures from its survey on holidays and travels for the first quarter 2024. During this period, 4,215,000 trips were made in Belgium or abroad.
3.6% decrease in travel compared to the first quarter 2023
In the first quarter 2024, there were 1.06 million domestic trips and 3.2 million trips abroad. Compared to same quarter in 2023, this is a decrease of 16.1% and an increase of 1.5%, respectively.
7.5% increase in travel to France compared to the first quarter 2023
In the first quarter 2024, the two most popular destinations abroad for Belgians were France and the Netherlands. Belgians made 1.06 million trips to France, or an increase of 7.5% compared to 2023.
Despite a decrease of 29.8% on an annual basis, the second foreign country the most visited by Belgians is the Netherlands, with 0.32 million trips.
24.6% decrease in trips to cities of art compared to the first quarter 2023
Most domestic destinations register a decrease in the first quarter 2024 compared to the same period last year. Indeed, we see a decrease in the number of trips to the Ardennes (-22.8%) and to cities of art (-24.6%). As for trips to the coast, they increased by 8.5%.
Number of travels by destination, duration and motif, 2023 (in milliers)
| Destination | Trips of 1 to 3 nights | Trips of 4 nights or more | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holidays | Professional trip | Total | Holidays | Professional trip | Total | |
| Total | 8,612 | 962 | 9,574 | 13,144 | 462 | 13,606 |
| European Union | 8,328 | 856 | 9,184 | 10,782 | 296 | 11,079 |
| Belgium | 4,076 | 177 | 4,254 | 1,602 | 27 | 1,629 |
| France | 1,638 | 213 | 1,851 | 3,471 | 80 | 3,551 |
| the Netherlands | 1,367 | 110 | 1,477 | 622 | 2 | 624 |
| Germany | 588 | 106 | 694 | 369 | 17 | 385 |
| Spain | 165 | 67 | 232 | 1,707 | 24 | 1,732 |
| Italia | 136 | 41 | 177 | 1,110 | 36 | 1,146 |
| Other EU | 357 | 143 | 500 | 1,901 | 110 | 2,011 |
| Other European countries | 232 | 69 | 301 | 604 | 32 | 636 |
| Africa | 18 | 6 | 25 | 751 | 25 | 776 |
| North-America | 21 | 7 | 28 | 204 | 51 | 255 |
| South-America | 14 | 13 | 27 | 176 | 10 | 186 |
| Asia + Oceania | . | 10 | 10 | 627 | 47 | 673 |
| Statbel (Direction générale Statistique - Statistics Belgium) | ||||||
Purpose and brief description
Travelling, whether domestic or international, for business or holiday, is becoming increasingly important in our way of life. This brochure presents the main results of a survey on the travel behaviour of Belgians. Travel habits have been followed since 1997 via a continuous quarterly survey amongst households. You will find here data regarding the duration and the motives of the trip, the destination, the accommodation type, the means of transport used and how the trip has been organised. The traveller's origin is also surveyed.
Population
Inhabitants in Belgium
Data collection method and sample size
Survey technique based on the use of paper questionnaires
Frequency
Annually.
Timing of publication
Results available 6 months after the reference period
Definitions
Number of trips: Trips of the inhabitants with at least one overnight stay. Day trips are also taken into account since 2014.
Duration of the trip: The duration of the trip is measured as the number of nights.
Purpose of the trip: There is only one main purpose for a trip, in the absence of which the trip would not have taken place. The Directive distinguishes two main reasons to travel:(i) business and professional; (ii) holidays, recreation and leisure. Holidays due to 'Visits to friends and relatives' should be included in point (ii).
Traveller: person who travels during the reporting period.
Low-skilled people are people who have at best a lower secondary education diploma. Medium-skilled people have obtained an upper secondary education diploma, but no higher education diploma. High-skilled people have a higher education diploma.