International tourist departures in Belgium
Belgium: International tourist departures was 17.91 million departures in 2024. ▲ Rising
International tourist departures in Belgium, 1996–2024
Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in departures.
Analysis
In 2024, international tourist departures in Belgium stood at 17.91 million departures. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.6% on the previous year and up 63.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, international tourist departures in Belgium peaked at 17.91 million departures in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.64 million departures, in 1996.
That places Belgium 14th out of 112 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
International tourist departures in Belgium, year by year
| Year | departures | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 5.64 million departures | — |
| 1997 | 7.55 million departures | +33.7% |
| 1998 | 7.78 million departures | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 6.41 million departures | -17.6% |
| 2000 | 7.93 million departures | +23.7% |
| 2001 | 6.57 million departures | -17.2% |
| 2002 | 6.77 million departures | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 7.27 million departures | +7.3% |
| 2004 | 8.78 million departures | +20.8% |
| 2005 | 9.33 million departures | +6.2% |
| 2006 | 7.85 million departures | -15.8% |
| 2007 | 8.37 million departures | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 8.89 million departures | +6.2% |
| 2009 | 8.78 million departures | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 8.80 million departures | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 9.73 million departures | +10.5% |
| 2012 | 9.58 million departures | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 10.80 million departures | +12.8% |
| 2014 | 10.99 million departures | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 10.84 million departures | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 13.37 million departures | +23.4% |
| 2017 | 14.63 million departures | +9.4% |
| 2018 | 15.63 million departures | +6.8% |
| 2019 | 17.32 million departures | +10.8% |
| 2020 | 7.11 million departures | -59.0% |
| 2021 | 8.59 million departures | +20.9% |
| 2022 | 16.00 million departures | +86.3% |
| 2023 | 17.30 million departures | +8.1% |
| 2024 | 17.91 million departures | +3.6% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 17.91 million departures is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.86 million departures, 3.7× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 17.91 million departures is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 4.98 million departures, 3.6× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where International tourist departures in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +86.3% | 8.59 million departures | 16.00 million departures |
| 2020 | -59.0% | 17.32 million departures | 7.11 million departures |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.84 million departures | 5.64 million departures | 7.78 million departures | 4 |
| 2000s | 8.05 million departures | 6.57 million departures | 9.33 million departures | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.17 million departures | 8.80 million departures | 17.32 million departures | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.38 million departures | 7.11 million departures | 17.91 million departures | 5 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More reference data data for Belgium
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9298 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.291 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1382 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7526 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is international tourist departures in Belgium?
- International tourist departures in Belgium was 17.91 million departures in 2024, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest international tourist departures recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 17.91 million departures in 2024.
- What is the lowest international tourist departures recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.64 million departures in 1996.
- How does Belgium rank for international tourist departures?
- Belgium ranks 14th out of 112 countries with data for 2024.
- Is international tourist departures rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 63.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of International tourist departures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 29 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of trips by country's residents who travel abroad and stay overnight.