Belgium sees ‘second wave’ impact

Hotels in Belgium saw occupancy dip in recent weeks, according to STR.

The company said that increases in the country’s caseload saw it report 23.3% occupancy level for the week ending 23 August after posting a 24.6% occupancy for the week ending 16 August.

The group said: “Now the focus is whether this second-wave impact will extend into the coming months.”

At the market level, Ghent stood out in bookings for the coming months. STR said: “However, it is important to note that guest tendency to cancel at the last minute could bring levels downward. Occupancy on the books in the market (as of 17 August) sat as high as 44% for 24 October and 42% for 6 November.

“On the other hand, Brussels occupancy on the books (as of 17 August) was just 12% for 9 November. Unfortunately, cancellations continue to be prevalent towards the end of the year. Fortunately, cancellations are not at the levels seen at the beginning of the pandemic even with a spike at the end of September and October.”

Pickup in the key markets in Belgium was on the rise thanks to more last-minute bookings. For the next 83 days (as of 17 August), pickup sat mostly below 14%. Once again, Ghent recorded the highest pickup (14%) for a specific day 19 August.

At the same time, pickup for the rest of 2020 fell off due to continued uncertainty and increased capacity allowing for shorter booking times.