Early booking is on the rise
More and more Belgians are rushing to book their summer holidays. At TUI, 30 per cent more holidays have been booked for next summer in the last two months than in the same period last year. Sunweb even recorded a 64 per cent increase, writes Het Laatste Nieuws on Friday.
TUI Belgium, the country's largest tour operator, conducted a survey of 1,500 people and found that three-quarters want to book their holidays at least three months in advance. Some 35 per cent even want to book more than six months in advance. After several years of last-minute decisions, early booking appears to make a comeback. Those who were late last year are now playing it safe.
Travellers who book on time usually get a better deal. Early booking discounts are usually offered by hoteliers who want extra security and are rewarded by tour operators with advance payments. The fact that more holidays have already been booked than in previous years does not affect prices, according to tour operators.
In terms of customer numbers and turnover, things are looking good, but the effects of the coronavirus pandemic are still being felt, says Koen van den Bosch, managing director of the Flemish Association of Travel Agents. Not only in Belgium, but also elsewhere in the world, a lot of people have left the sector, which is now causing major staffing problems.
© BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ
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