Looking back on our webinar: Insights in the Benelux Market

On April 24, we organized an online event and presentation about the status of the Benelux travel market together with ABTO (Association of Belgian Travel Organisers). We compared ABTO's studies with insights from the holiday sentiment barometer of NBTC (Netherlands Board of Tourism and Congresses). It is clear that we should not doubt about the number of tourists this year. In this case, where do the most opportunities lie and how can we use the insights obtained? We would like to look back on our webinar.

We are booking earlier and earlier

At the end of January, we had already booked 50% of the total volume of 2023 in Belgium, good for 10.9 million holidays. In the Netherlands we also see that 51% of Dutch people had already booked by April, compared to 41% in the same period last year. So we are booking our (summer) holidays earlier and earlier. We mainly make reservations online and directly with the provider, although travel companies and booking websites carry more weight with Belgians.

Very high travel intentions
 

NBTC surveys consumer holiday sentiment in 7 of their top source markets around the world. On average, 91% of residents of Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, the UK, USA and China will travel this year. Travel intentions in Belgium are also increasing from 83% last year to 88% this year. The Netherlands is doing another percent better with 89% (compared to 84% in 2023). This is clearly an international trend that is also confirmed by the UN Tourism World Barometer.

The moment to focus your brand

So there will be no shortage of travel volume. We should not ask ourselves whether there will be enough tourists. We can think about the type of tourism we want and how we can sharpen our brand as a travel company or destination for the future. At Thx.agency we continuously use data and insights to find the right positioning of our customers in the Benelux travel market. A positioning that starts from the identity and DNA of the destination and that translates into storylines, product development and travel promotion.

 

Partnership with ABTO

In order to tailor your local offering to the wishes of holidaymakers, you need insights into what drives tourists. That is why Thx.agency uses all kinds of studies on the market. Thanks to their collaboration with research agency GFK, ABTO (Association of Belgian Travel Organisers) has collected a lot of insights, and more than 40.000 Belgians have already been surveyed. We asked them to work together for our webinar, share knowledge and zoom in on a number of typologies of holidaymakers.

Curious about the insights we and ABTO shared? You can rewatch the webinar here.

We also invite you to download the collaboration opportunities with ABTO here. You too can order their reports or become a member to gain access to the various study dashboards they have set up.

Would you also like to receive all presentations? Send an email to kris@thx.agency