Hemelvaart Weekend Shock.. Nearly 25% Drop in Belgian Coast Stays Year-on-Year

Hemelvaart Weekend Shock: Belgian Coast Stays Drop 25% YoY

Tourist overnight stays along the Belgian coast dropped 14 to 19 percent this Hemelvaart weekend, influenced by weather and school holiday shifts.

Marie Dupont1 June 2025Last Update : 2 days ago

Bijna kwart minder overnachtingen aan kust tijdens Hemelvaartweekend dan vorig jaar

www.vrt.be

The number of tourist overnight stays and day visitors along the Belgian coast dropped by 14 to 19 percent compared to last year during the Ascension Day weekend. This trend was reported on 2025-06-01 17:00:00, highlighting a notable decline in coastal tourism figures. What caused this dip in visitor numbers despite the usual springtime appeal?

6 Key Takeaways

Aantal overnachtingen daalt 14-19 procent
Weer en schoolvakantie beïnvloeden toerisme
600.000 toeristische overnachtingen aan kust
Hotelboekingen 12 procent lager dan vorig jaar
Hotels gemiddeld 80 procent volzet
Nachten donderdag en vrijdag 90 procent vol

Michelle Martens from Westtoer, the tourism agency for West Flanders, attributes the decrease partly to less favourable weather conditions this year. Additionally, last year’s figures benefited from the Walloon school holidays coinciding with the Ascension weekend, boosting bookings. How significant was the impact on hotels and coastal towns?

During the four-night period, the coast recorded 600,000 tourist overnight stays, with hotel bookings down by around 12 percent compared to last year. Wednesday to Thursday night saw the biggest drop, while Thursday to Saturday nights were relatively busier, showing an 80 to 90 percent average occupancy rate. Let’s take a closer look at what this means for local tourism.

Fast Answer: Coastal tourism in West Flanders saw a 14–19% drop in overnight stays during Ascension weekend 2025, influenced by weather and school holiday timing, with hotels averaging 80–90% occupancy.

Why did the coastal tourism figures see such variation this year? The interplay of weather and school holidays clearly played a role, but what does this mean for the sector going forward? Consider these points:

Weather conditions were less favourable compared to last year’s sunny Ascension weekend.
The Walloon school holiday did not overlap with the holiday weekend this year, reducing family travel.
Hotel occupancy varied by day, with midweek nights less busy than the weekend.
Tourism impact differs between coastal towns, reflecting diverse local dynamics.

For Belgian coastal communities, understanding these fluctuations is key to adapting marketing and service strategies for future holiday periods.

With summer approaching, will coastal tourism rebound as weather improves and more holidays align? Stakeholders should monitor these Trends closely and consider targeted promotions to attract visitors during off-peak days. How can local businesses best prepare for the upcoming season?