This summer, 11 million Dutch people will go on summer vacation for one week or more. That number is lower than last year. Then it was almost 11.5 million vacations. The reason for this decrease is the crisis and low consumer confidence, according to the ANWB.
More than 3 million holidaymakers (-5%) spend their holidays in their own country. Nearly 8 million compatriots (-2%) opt for a foreign holiday destination. Despite a slight decrease, France is still the undisputed leader as a summer holiday destination for Dutch holidaymakers. But just like last year, affordable, sunny destinations such as Turkey and Spain are also popular this summer.
The top 5 summer holiday destinations by passenger numbers:
1. France (1.510.000)
2. Spain (950.000)
3. Germany (950.000)
4. Italy (655.000)
5. Turkey (600.000)
Risers and Fallers
The biggest risers this year are: Turkey (+10%), Spain (+10%), Croatia (+21%) and Egypt (+28%). The biggest fallers this year are the Czech Republic (-22%), Belgium (-17%) and Greece (-13%)
Far destinations
Approximately 780.000 Dutch people will take an intercontinental holiday. That is more than last year, when 710.000 Dutch people opted for a distant destination. The most popular destination this year is again the United States and will welcome approximately 270.000 Dutch holidaymakers. The top 5 faraway destinations by passenger numbers:
1. United States (270.000)
2. Indonesia (80.000)
3.Canada (50.000)
4. Netherlands Antilles (40.000)
5. Thailand (32.000)
Save
Many Dutch people have already booked their summer holidays. This group will try to save on holiday expenses on the spot. Dutch people who have yet to book will look for the best deal, where value for money is very important. Sunny destinations such as Spain, France, Portugal, Egypt and Turkey will benefit from two wet summers and a moderate spring in their own country, according to the tour association.
Mmm, given these numbers I always wonder how the Thai traffic office gets the 200.000 Dutch people who travel to Thailand every year. It will be about package tours here, but still…
The paper of the TAT is patient. There are more things that make me wonder how the Thai Tourist Board comes up with it. In the summer period, high season for the Netherlands, there are still plenty of tickets available this year, so it won't be that busy with Dutch people...
Of the Dutch respondents who once participated in a study by the Thai tourist office, it turned out that (only) 1 in 5 had booked a package holiday.
Source: http://www.tourpress.nl/nieuws/7/Overig/11644/Nederlandse-toerist-erg-tevreden-over-Thailand
Then you would be well on your way with a total of 160.000, IF those 32.000 are only package tours, but that is of course a hypothesis. Those 1.510.000 to France will not all have booked a package holiday either.
32.000 is, of course, ridiculous. That would be 32 000 / 52 = 613 per week.
Then you would have enough for all Dutch tourists with one and a half 747 a week (including everyone who now departs from another airport or takes a flight with a stopover.)
Incidentally, no one needs to be afraid of tripping over the Dutch in Thailand. If 200.000 go there per year and they stay an average of 21 days, then there are an average of 200000/365*21 = 11.500 Dutch people in Thailand per day. That is 1 Dutch per 5913 Thai. (68 000 000 / 11 500)
For the time being, I rather doubt the figures of the ANWB than those of the Thai Tourist Board.
Dear Frans, about 130.000 Dutch people go to Indonesia every year. That country has been above Thailand for years in terms of numbers of holidaymakers from the Netherlands. So the 200.000 to Thailand really doesn't seem right to me.
I think that TAT also includes business travelers and the ANWB does not mean that it fully explains it, but it could explain part of the difference