Ostend (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Multiple catering establishments within Ostend view their recent Easter holiday period as a choice between satisfaction and disappointment. Weather predictions for the occasion were unstable, and atmospheric conditions ended up influencing outcomes. “We can’t complain”, one person said. “This was the worst holiday in 17 years”, we also heard.
Climate conditions heavily influenced the catering industry’s performance in Ostend when the Easter holidays arrived. Some entrepreneurs recorded high visitor numbers with pleased guests, yet different owners characterised the season as the worst they had ever seen.
During the period, Westtoer reported that Flemish coastal visits doubled from 2018 levels to reach 1.3 million visitors. Places of business exhibited diverse outcomes because some locations maintained constant customer flow but several businesses had minimal visitor activity.
“The first week of the Easter holidays the weather wasn’t that good and I noticed that. The second week the sun was out a bit more and it was warmer. Then more people came. It wasn’t completely overrun now, but the tourists came spread out and that’s how I like it.”
Nick Van den Kerchove of Tavern Floride agrees with his colleague.
“We can’t complain. The people were definitely there. We had a fantastic spring break with lots of sun and actually warm temperatures. This Easter break the weather was a bit less, but we still had enough people over.”
“I have been the owner of Loungebar Rood in Ostend since 2008 and I have never had such a bad holiday,”
says Kelly Van Loo.
“The Easter weekend was quieter than a normal weekend during the year.”
“I think it’s because Easter fell at the very end of the holiday. We always notice lower visitor numbers then. People also like to travel abroad, then they are assured of nice weather. The corona times, when people massively opted for a holiday on the coast, seem to be over.”
Bram also noticed little crowding on the Zeedijk and at the beach.
“I’m here with my family,”
he says.
“In recent years we have been coming to the coast every year. We had a free feeling during the walks on the beach and along the sea.”
In Wallonia, there was no Easter holiday. The spring holiday falls later in April.
“That makes it harder to estimate whether we will have a lot of people,”
Van Loo adds.
“I used to be able to predict that perfectly and I hired enough student workers and placed enough orders in advance. Now I have no control over it anymore.”
“I actually think it’s positive that the holidays are split up in our country,”
Blomme says.
We now have fewer periods when there are no people, there are always a few people passing by.”
What are the key tourism and economic trends in Ostend and the Flemish coast?
The Belgian coastal city of Ostend, located in Flanders, receives millions of tourists who contribute substantially to its economic stability through tourism activities. The official tourism agency for West Flanders reports that Ostend ranked among the top destinations attracting visitors along with the rest of the Flemish coastline, during 2023, when 16 million tourists came to West Flanders. Local businesses benefit most notably from the catering and hospitality industries at the beginning of the high season, which occurs during the Easter holidays.
The weather conditions in recent times have significantly affected tourism rates because sunny days draw 15-20% more visitors than rainy days do. Belgian tourists have shown post-pandemic altered travel patterns because their international tourism rose by 12% in 2023, according to Statbel data, thus affecting the domestic coastal tourism industry.
The differing school holiday periods between Flanders, which begin early in April, and Wallonia, beginning in mid-April, bring inconsistent visitor numbers that hinder business predictions for local entrepreneurs.
In economic analysis, the hospitality sector of Ostend recruits more than 5,000 seasonal workers, while restaurants, cafes and ice cream establishments provide a yearly economic stimulus of almost €300 million to the region.
Ostend’s profit margins are under strain due to increasing operating expenses and labour deficit situations, which require steady visitor numbers. The Westtoer report indicates that beach bookings will increase by 20% during Easter 2024, although individual company success remained inconsistent due to weather factors and tourism patterns.
