Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Belgium

Belgium: Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes was 6.65 million trips in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
6.65 million trips
Change on year
up 3.5%
World rank
32nd
of 179 countries
All-time high
6.65 million trips
in 2024
All-time low
1.74 million trips
in 2020
Years of data
30
1995–2024

Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Belgium, 1995–2024

2.0M3.0M4.0M5.0M6.0M7.0M1995200920241995: 3.6M trips1996: 3.7M trips1997: 3.8M trips1998: 3.9M trips1999: 4.0M trips2000: 4.0M trips2001: 4.1M trips2002: 4.3M trips2003: 4.4M trips2004: 4.4M trips2005: 4.4M trips2006: 4.5M trips2007: 4.6M trips2008: 4.6M trips2009: 4.5M trips2010: 4.8M trips2011: 4.9M trips2012: 4.8M trips2013: 4.8M trips2014: 5.0M trips2015: 5.5M trips2016: 4.8M trips2017: 5.4M trips2018: 6.0M trips2019: 6.2M trips2020: 1.7M trips2021: 2.2M trips2022: 5.8M trips2023: 6.4M trips2024: 6.7M trips

Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in trips.

Analysis

The most recent figure for arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Belgium is 6.65 million trips, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.

The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 31.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Belgium peaked at 6.65 million trips in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.74 million trips, in 2020.

That places Belgium 32nd out of 179 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.

Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Belgium, 1995 to 2024.
Year trips Change
1995 3.62 million trips
1996 3.65 million trips +0.9%
1997 3.75 million trips +2.7%
1998 3.90 million trips +4.0%
1999 4.02 million trips +3.1%
2000 3.97 million trips -1.2%
2001 4.05 million trips +2.0%
2002 4.32 million trips +6.5%
2003 4.41 million trips +2.0%
2004 4.38 million trips -0.7%
2005 4.38 million trips +0.1%
2006 4.50 million trips +2.8%
2007 4.61 million trips +2.3%
2008 4.59 million trips -0.4%
2009 4.53 million trips -1.2%
2010 4.78 million trips +5.5%
2011 4.89 million trips +2.2%
2012 4.77 million trips -2.3%
2013 4.85 million trips +1.6%
2014 5.05 million trips +4.1%
2015 5.45 million trips +8.0%
2016 4.81 million trips -11.8%
2017 5.44 million trips +13.2%
2018 6.05 million trips +11.1%
2019 6.19 million trips +2.4%
2020 1.74 million trips -71.8%
2021 2.21 million trips +26.6%
2022 5.85 million trips +165.0%
2023 6.43 million trips +10.0%
2024 6.65 million trips +3.5%

Belgium compared with similar countries

  • Belgium's 6.65 million trips is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.47 million trips, 2.7× the median. (63 countries reporting)
  • Belgium's 6.65 million trips is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 4.42 million trips, 1.5× the median. (36 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes 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.

YearChange FromTo
2022 +165.0% 2.21 million trips 5.85 million trips
2020 -71.8% 6.19 million trips 1.74 million trips

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3.79 million trips 3.62 million trips 4.02 million trips 5
2000s 4.37 million trips 3.97 million trips 4.61 million trips 10
2010s 5.23 million trips 4.77 million trips 6.19 million trips 10
2020s 4.58 million trips 1.74 million trips 6.65 million trips 5

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 29 United States 8.05 million trips compare
  2. 30 Albania 7.44 million trips compare
  3. 31 Taiwan 7.28 million trips compare
  4. 33 Uzbekistan 6.62 million trips compare
  5. 34 Vietnam 6.55 million trips compare
  6. 35 Bahrain 6.25 million trips compare

See the full ranking of 179 places →

More reference data data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Belgium?
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Belgium was 6.65 million trips in 2024, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 6.65 million trips in 2024.
What is the lowest arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 1.74 million trips in 2020.
How does Belgium rank for arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes?
Belgium ranks 32nd out of 179 countries with data for 2024.
Is arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is up 31.9%. 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 Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/international-trips-for-personal-reasons/belgium/

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About this data

Indicator
Arrivals of tourists from abroad for personal purposes
Unit
trips
Source
UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
179 places, 4,054 data points, 1995–2024
Last refreshed

Number of international trips where the main purpose is personal (leisure, visiting friends and relatives, health, etc.) and the visitor stays overnight.