Year in review and fast forward to 2023, Airbnb shares Belgian travel trends

Points à retenir

  • In 2022, Belgian travelers sought out national parks, pools, beaches and ski destinations as their top categories on Airbnb.
  • With capitals including London, Paris and New-York and French ski resorts such as Les Bellvilles and Morzine trending for 2023, Belgians are ready to go international!
  • It’s never been easier to offer exciting travel experiences to your loved ones for Christmas with the Airbnb gift card launching in Belgium, just in time for this holiday season.

Points à retenir

  • In 2022, Belgian travelers sought out national parks, pools, beaches and ski destinations as their top categories on Airbnb.
  • With capitals including London, Paris and New-York and French ski resorts such as Les Bellvilles and Morzine trending for 2023, Belgians are ready to go international!
  • It’s never been easier to offer exciting travel experiences to your loved ones for Christmas with the Airbnb gift card launching in Belgium, just in time for this holiday season.

Airbnb is wrapping up the year with a bow, revealing the categories that topped the charts in 2022 and providing a sneak peak at what 2023 has in store for Belgians’ travels. 

Top Categories for 2022 

In 2022, Belgian travelers found themselves exploring national parks, sitting poolside or catching rays of sun on a sandy beach. Those Categories stood out along with ski destinations and iconic cities also making appearances.

Based on bookings from May 11 through September 30, these were the top 2022 travel categories for Belgian guests:

  1. Near a national park
  2. Pool
  3. Near a beach
  4. Ski destination
  5. Iconic cities

And just in time for holiday travel, the Airbnb 2022 Winter Release, introduced six new Categories this month, which are sure to join the ranks of most popular:

  • New – Homes added to Airbnb within the past 10 weeks, an easy way to find fresh gems joining the platform.
  • Trending – Highly-rated homes that received more listing views compared to the previous week.
  • Play – Homes with basketball courts, game rooms, miniature golf, water slides and more.
  • Adapted – Homes adapted for wheelchair access, with verified step-free paths into the home, bedroom and bathroom.
  • Top of the world – Homes around 10,000 feet above sea level, often with stunning views.
  • Hanoks – Traditional Korean homes constructed of natural materials.

Looking Ahead to 2023: the return of international travel 

After their travel plans have been disrupted by the pandemic, Belgians are eager to live international adventures or visit their favorite destinations once more. The following locations are the top trending destinations that caught their attention for 2023, based on searches on the platform during 2022: 

  1. London, UK
  2. Paris, France
  3. New York, USA
  4. Bourg-Saint-Maurice, France
  5. Rome, Italy
  6. Les Belleville, France
  7. Morzine, France
  8. Tignes, France
  9. Los Angeles, USA
  10. Barcelona, Spain

Airbnb gift cards, available in time for the holidays

If you’re still searching for that perfect gift for a loved one or friend, consider giving the gift of travel this holiday season with the Airbnb gift card. Just in time for the festivities, Airbnb gift cards are now available in Belgium. Skip the stress this year and simply make a purchase via airbnb.com/giftcards and have it delivered to your loved one via text or email. An Airbnb gift card unlocks access to the platform’s vast collection of unique homes and one-of-a-kind Airbnb Experiences with no limit date of use.

This holiday season also presents a unique opportunity to take advantage of anticipated travel, and earn some additional income, and perhaps even pay for a trip to a trending destination. Earlier this month, Airbnb made it even easier to Airbnb your home through Airbnb SetUp, featuring one-to-one guidance from a Superhost, the opportunity to host an experienced guest as your first guest, as well as one-tap access to specially-trained Community support agents. Together with even more AirCover for Hosts, which tripled damage protection to $3 million and expanded guest identity verification, among other top protections for both inside and outside your home, it’s a great time to become a Host and start earning.

*Top Categories of 2022 (Belgium) nights booked by Belgian guests in any destination with check-in dates from May 11, 2022 thru Sept. 30, 2022.
**Searches made in Q1-Q3 2022 for 2023 check-ins vs Searches made in Q1-Q3 2021 for 2022 check-ins.
*** Airbnb gift cards are available in the following markets: US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil (third-party digital), Canada, Finland, France Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico (third-party digital), Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, UK