Staycation: for those who fancy a holiday without travelling
Of all trends, staycations are clearly becoming more popular among Belgium's travelling public: almost half of the Belgians are attracted to a holiday in their own country. Our survey shows that the people who stay at home are those who like making more conscious choices about how they spend their holiday budget. A staycation also offers more flexibility and that is way people plan more trips and activities in their own country. You don’t have to travel for more than thousands of kilometres to enjoy a well-deserved vacation. For one out of five, the key factor is not having to travel far. For those not won over by the idea of a staycation, the primary reason is the lack of a 'holiday feeling' in their own country. Furthermore, staycationing is the only travel trend that is more favoured among solo travellers and is more popular in Flanders than in Wallonia.
Glamping is hot
A holiday in nature, without conceding on luxury? Glamping, or ‘glamourous’ camping, is on the rise. It is seen as an option by 25% of Belgian holidaymakers. After all, you have all the advantages of camping (close to nature, beautiful starry nights, etc.) and the luxury of a hotel room. Almost one out of five respondents expect that, when glamping, they will have the same service as in a hotel. For more than half of the respondents who do not plump for glamping, luxury camping remains camping. One out of four expect only minor differences between glamping and staying in hotels in terms of experience, and so opt for the latter. One out of five have specific requirements regarding luxury or fear that they will be too far from a town or city centre.
Experience on all fronts
In the coming years, TV programmes and films will also be a source of inspiration when looking for new destinations. Movie trips are in! For example, Croatia and Iceland are popular destinations thanks to Game of Thrones. Culinary trips are all about enjoyment, relaxation and trying new foods. The world is full of different flavours and we love embarking on culinary voyages of discovery.
The influence of technology
In the coming years, artificial intelligence and digital technology will make a considerable difference to how we book and experience travel. More than ever, we will be able to plan the perfect holiday and discover the most beautiful destinations, and we will have unprecedented flexibility and options.
Journey planner and other apps
In our study, the journey planner, with no less than 73%, was the most popular technology trend. The ‘best moment to buy your ticket’ app informs holidaymakers about the ideal time to book their travels, and journey planners seamlessly combine all transport options (e.g. train, bus, underground).
Translation and speech apps
60% are (very) interested in translation and speech apps, first and foremost because they are easy to use and are a tool for talking better with the locals. Such apps are mostly popular among over-50s, and primarily with people who travel with their families. There is greater interest in these apps in Wallonia than in Flanders. However, not everyone feels the same way. Among those who are not interested, more than the half say that they can make themselves perfectly understood. One out of five do not travel enough to purchase such an app or only choose destinations where they speak the language or where English is spoken.
Virtual reality
Via virtual reality it is already possible to have a look at a holiday destination, surroundings and hotel from the comfort of your own home. 43% of Belgians (mostly over-40s) state that they are interested in this.
In order of importance, virtual reality would deliver a realistic presentation of their holiday destination, allow them to do a quality check beforehand, help them to choose activities or to make comparisons between various destinations and hotels. Almost one out of five would, thank to VR, have more confidence in his trip. It could have added value for travel agencies who have a VR-room in their office or for those who provide translation and speech apps. Among those not interested, half of them fear that the 'surprise factor' in the journey would be removed. A third of the opponents believe that they would only be able to see the best facets of a destination.
Study among 1131 Belgians/ representative sample
