Tourism in Key figures edition 2015 Tourism in Key figures edition 2015 “Tourism in Key figures” provides a convenient overview For a more in-depth analysis of these key figures, we of the major trends in international tourism and the tou- refer the reader to our other available publications. rism flows to, from, and in Flanders. VISITFLANDERS conducts new research and publishes updated arrival and overnight figures on a regular basis. In 2014 Flanders counted 29.5 million overnight stays and 12 million arrivals This publication provides information Consult www.toerismevlaanderen.be/figures to get on the place of stay, the timing of the visit and the reason regular updates on new tourism figures and research. why these tourists chose Flanders as their destination. 2014 was the beginning of the remembrance of the Great War, an event that could count on great international in- Peter De Wilde terest in the Westhoek Region. CEO VISITFLANDERS The graph shows that tourism remains a growing sector, with intermittent periods growth: slower intermittent of with sector, agrowing remains The graph that shows tourism arrivals 1980-2014 Evolution of international tourist 10 12 20 80 40 60 00 00 0 0 0 0 0 1980 1981 1982 1983 + 1984 309 1985 1986 1987 % 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 res 2003: 1994 millions) (in u 1995 lted sars 1996 in 1997 vir 2001: 1998 A u decrease I 11 S T N 1999 h 2011 in 2009: attacks septe 2000 E asia 2001 financial and effects mb 2002 2012 2003 er 2004 crisis of A 2005 noticea 2006 2007 1 b 1 I 2008 N illion 2012 b le 2009 was recover 2010 T to h 2011 E E m u 2012 x rist ceeded ilestone 2013 y 2014 arrivals of Source: UNWTO Evolution of international tourist arrivals 1950-2014 by continent (in millions) Europe 580 264 asia and ThE pacific 182 Amerika 52 middle-east africa 56 Source: uNWTO 2014 / Number of arrivals and 2004 - 2014 / Evolution overnight stays overnight stays in Flanders and arrivals in Flanders overnight stays % arrivals % average lenght of stay (nights) overnighT stayS arrivals Flemish region 22,972,964 78% 8,648,315 72% 2.7 brussels region 6,611,933 22% 3,420,194 28% 1.9 35,000,000 +6% 14,000,000 Flanders 29,584,897 100% 12,068,509 100% 2.5 belgium 36,084,461 14,930,308 2.4 30,000,000 12,000,000 25,000,000 10,000,000 20,000,000 8,000,000 Overnight stays Arrivals +32% 15,000,000 6,000,000 29% 41% 31% 17% 53% 30% 10,000,000 4,000,000 Coast Art cities Flemish countryside Coast Art cities Flemish 5,000,000 2,000,000 8 million 12 million 9 million 2 million 6 million Countryside 4 million Source: Directorate-general Statistics Source: Directorate-general Statistics 2014 / Division of overnight stays in the art cities 1.8 1.9 6.6 MLN MLN MLN ANTWERP BRUGES BRUSSELS 15% 16% 55% 1.0 0.4 0.2 MLN MLN MLN GHENT LEUVEN MECHELEN 8% 4% 2% TOTAL 12 million AVERAGE LenGHT OF STAY 1.9 nights Source: Directorate-general Statistics 2014 / Division of overnight stays in the 2014 / Seasonality of overnight stays Flemish countryside in Flanders 1,800,000 1% RANDSTEDELIJK GEBIED ANTWERP-MECHELEN 19% 30% 1,600,000 1,400,000 1.7 mln 2.8 mln 1,200,000 3% 2% 1,000,000 art cities 3% ANTWERPSE 800,000 MEETJESLAND WAASLAND KEMPEN 4% 600,000 7% BRUGSE 15% LIMBURGSE flemish countryside OMMELAND SCHELDELAND KEMPEN 400,000 0.7 mln coast 2% 3% MAASLAND 5% 1.4 mln 2% 200,000 WESTHOEK 2% VLAAMSE HAGELAND LEIESTREEK ARDENNEN GROENE Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec GORDEL HASPENGOUW 1% VOEREN 2% HAssELT EN OMGEVING The distribution of overnight stays throughout the year varies depen- Flemish countryside 31% of overnight stays occur during the summer ding on the destination. Tourism at the coast and in the Flemish months. In the art cities the two summer months count for 19% of the countryside is very seasonal, whereas the occupancy in the art cities year total. There is clearly less commercial tourism in the winter at the TOTAL 9 million is more evenly distributed throughout the year. At the coast 35% of coast, while the Flemish countryside still receives a reasonable amount AVERAGE LenGHT OF STAY 2.5 nights overnight stays takes place in the months July and August and in the of overnight stays. Source: Directorate-general Statistics Source: Directorate-general Statistics 2014 / Top 10 of the foreign arrivals by country of origin 20% 15% 14% 4% 2% Netherlands France United kingdom Italy China 21% 1,337,669 1,004,543 920,845 259,057 132,679 OTher 1,447,378 11% 5% 5% 2% 2% GermANy uSA Spain Japan switzerland 771,534 345,072 342,619 108,342 95,519 Source: Directorate-general Statistics 2014 / Overnight stays in Flanders by type of accomodation and by purpose of stay OVERNIGHT STAYS BY MOTIVE OVERNIGHT STAYS BY TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION 72% 18% 10% 61% 3% 6% Hotels Bed & Breakfasts CAmP sites 16% 14% 1% LEISURE anD COnfERENCE, CONGRESS OTHER BUSINESS HOLIDAY AND SEMINAR PURPOSES Holiday parcs & yOuTh OTher holiday holiday centres accommodation accommodation Source: Directorate-general Statistics Source: Directorate-general Statistics 2014 / Gross occupancy rate in hotels Evolution tourist accommodation supply in Flanders NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS, BY TYPE OF ACCOmmODATION CAPACITY IN PERSONS, BY TYPE OF ACCOmmODATION 2014 SHARE 2014 2014 SHARE 2014 hotels 1,105 32% hotels 100,707 41% bed & breakfasts 1,532 44% bed & breakfasts 10,535 4% Camp sites 189 5% Camp sites 41,070 17% holiday parks and holiday centres 75 2% holiday parks and holiday centres 35,172 14% youth accommodation 589 17% youth accommodation 59,430 24% Other holiday accommodation 84 2% Other holiday accommodation 1,686 1% Flanders 3,490 100% Flanders 246,914 100% NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS, BY DESTInaTION CAPACITY IN PERSONS, BY DESTInaTION Trend Share Trend Share 2013 2014 2013-2014 2014 2013 2014 2013-2014 2014 Coast 486 505 +3.9% 16% Coast 57,026 55,899 -2.0% 22% Flemish countryside 1,841 2,080 +13.0% 58% Flemish countryside 116,558 119,424 +2.5% 48% ReSPONS RAte IN ROOMS Art cities 825 989 +19.9% 26% Art cities 70,919 73,277 +3.3% 29% - Antwerp 123 156 +26.8% 4% - Antwerp 11,686 11,901 +1.8% 5% - bruges 246 292 +18.7% 8% - bruges 10,422 10,980 +5.4% 4% - brussels 255 292 +14.5% 8% - brussels 37,290 38,099 +2.2% 15% 2007: 69% 2007: 62% 2007: 20% - Ghent 124 160 +29.0% 4% - Ghent 7,248 7,702 +6.3% 3% - Leuven 44 54 +22.7% 1% - Leuven 2,734 2,953 +8.0% 1% 79% 65% flemish 40% art cities 2014: coast 2014: 2014: countryside - mechelen 33 35 +6.1% 1% - mechelen 1,539 1,642 +6.7% 1% Flanders 3,152 3,574 +13.4% 100% Flanders 244,503 248,600 +1.7% 100% Source: VisitFlanders Hotelbarometer Source: Directorate-general Statistics 2013 / total employment in the tourist 2014 / Holiday participation sector in Flanders (in number of jobs) Employees Self-employed Accommodation 17,406 TOTAL Day Individual Group Organized Accommodation regarding 2nd homes (only coast) 1,048 40,832 223.617 Food and beverage services 69,437 trips holidays holidays holidays Passenger transport 48,827 Travel agencies, travel organizers, reservation desks 103,131 5,842 7,420 6,708 and related activities 5,985 Cultural services 10,169 14,629 Sport and recreational services 10,029 Retail of country-specific, characteristic tourism goods 3,303 TOTAL: 123,101 Non-tourism characteristic companies 1,952 Total 168,156 53,461 The holiday participation Centre has an extensive network of over 2,000 partners. The broad tourism sector (passenger transport included) accounts In 2014 more than 120,000 Flemish people got support from the for 7.6% of self-employment and 6.3% of salaried employment holiday participation centre to make a day trip or go on a holiday. Source: RSZ, RSZPPO, RSVZ Source: holiday Participation Center Cruises in Flanders Aviation in Flanders Evolution of number of cruises Evolution of cruise passengers in Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Ostend in Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Ostend total 500,000 450,000 Eu 400,000 350,000 non-Eu 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 In 2014 Brussels Airport welcomed 21.9 million commercial passengers. This is an increase of no less than 15% compared to 2013. Source: VISITFLANDERS based on statistics of the port of Antwerp, zeebrugge and Ostend Source: brusselss Airport 2014 / Flanders Fields, a place to remember SPendING WWI: BELGIUM 28,5 million VISITORS TO WWI SITES IN THE WESTHOEK REGION 2013 2014 TREND 2013-2014 ACCOMMO- belgium 183,100 421,300 +130.1% 37% DATION united kingdom 154,700 231,000 +49.3% Netherlands 47,100 66,700 +41.6% 37% Australia 7,300 10,500 +43.8% Germany 2,900 10,900 +275.9% turnover France 5,000 7,000 +40.0% 76.3 m. CATERING Canada 3,200 7,700 +140.6% 34% Other 12,200 19,400 +59.0% INDUSTRY TOTAL 415,500 774,500 +86.4% 63% ABROAD SHOPPING 15% The total of WWI visitors in the Westhoek Region is estimated to be 789,500. 47,8 million (including unique visitors to Westfront, open since oct. 17th 2014) OTHER (MUSEUMS) 14% Source: Visitor research Westtoer 2014 Source: Visitor research Westtoer 2014 Definitions 1 Flanders = Flemish + Brussels region The volume of overnight stays is the total of all overnight stays associated with the registered arrivals.