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Belgians book fewer holidays due to World Cup

11:20 05/06/2014

Nearly half of the Belgians planning to go on a trip this summer had not yet booked their trip by the beginning of May. Of those opting for a camping holiday, 70% did not yet have any set plans. According to tour operators, the reluctance to book is due to the upcoming World Cup matches.

Early last month, the West Flanders Economic Survey office investigated the summer holiday intentions of 2,000 Belgians. It showed that 45.5% of those intending to travel had not yet picked a destination, let alone pinned a date. Among campers, as many as 70% were still undecided.

“These are mainly young people who want to stay at home to follow the World Cup with friends, and then see later where they end up going on holiday. There’s especially a lull in the period between June 28, just after exams, and July 12, the day before the final match,” noted camping holiday company Vacansoleil.

As a result, travel during the World Cup is exceptionally cheap, with tour operators offering unprecedented last minute fares and discounts of 50% or even more.

Written by Robyn Boyle