Rising tourist inflows and improving economic conditions are expected to drive growth in the Belgian travel and tourism sector.

Wednesday 4 September 2013, Amsterdam

The Belgian travel and tourism sector, in terms of volume, declined in 2009. Despite this, it did grow at a comparatively slow pace between 2008 and 2012. The country recorded an increase in the volume of domestic and international visitors, and consequently tourist expenditure rose. Despite annual increase in tourist volumes, Belgium’s share of international tourists is lower than European counterparts such as France and Germany.

The government is keen to develop ecotourism and has undertaken initiatives to promote its countryside. For example, Virionval National Park in south-west Belgium is one of the European Tourist Destinations of Excellence (EDEN).

Travel and tourism accounted for 2.8% of the nation’s total investments for 2012. The country’s well-developed transport infrastructure supports travel and tourism. With one of the densest road and rail networks in Europe, Belgium now plans to develop sustainable infrastructure to provide eco-friendly services to customers. Solar panels installed on a portion of the Antwerp-Amsterdam high-speed line to power railway facilities is one example of these efforts. To attract multinational companies, which not only increases travel and tourism activities but also creates job opportunities, the government provides an investment-friendly and supportive business environment.

To increase Belgium’s competitiveness in the global marketplace, the government is encouraging foreign investments. According to the UN’s conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in 2011, Belgium was ranked second in terms of its attractiveness to foreign direct investment (FDI).

The Belgian aviation market was adversely impacted by the eurozone debt crisis, but has since shown signs of recovery. It is recording growth and competition has increased due to the entry of low-cost carriers (LCCs). Ever-increasing fuel prices are a key area of concern for airlines. Providing flights to new destinations is one of the main strategies airlines are expected to follow to increase their competitiveness.

The Belgian hotel market is expected to maintain growth over the next five years with the help of an increase in the volume of domestic and international trips. A number of new hotels are being planned for development, or are under construction. Over the last few years, Brussels has attracted the highest share of hotel accommodation investments. Hotels being constructed in Brussels include the Tanglia Hotel with 181 rooms, Thon Hotel with 405 rooms, Hotel Mindi with 239 rooms and the Nexity with 110 rooms.

This report offers:

•    In depth analysis and market overview of the Travel and Tourism market in Belgium including market dynamics, key trends and issues and a SWOT analysis.
•    An insight into the performance outlook and key trends/issues of the three main tourism flows, domestic, inbound and outbound.
•    A segmented breakdown of the sectors within the Belgium Travel and Tourism market including airlines, hotels, car rental and travel intermediaries.
•    A look into an assortment of Belgium airlines, hotels, car rental companies and more including company overviews, services, history, employees, etc.

This will facilitate:

•    The increasing of your knowledge of the Travel and Tourism industry in Belgium.
•    Your understanding of the key drivers and issues within this industry.
•    A clear understanding of market opportunities and entry strategies to gain or grow your market share in the Belgium Travel and Tourism market.
•    A greater understanding of the competitive landscape of the Belgium Travel and Tourism industry.