Drop in holiday spending in Turkey and Greece: CBS

Holiday travel spending in Turkey and Greece have dropped dramatically this year, according to new figures from Dutch statistics office the CBS.

Cash spent in Turkey fell by almost two-fifths in the first half of 2016, compared with the same period last year, and spending in Greece dropped by 37%. These falls mirror the decline in holiday trips to these countries, says the CBS, and represent the lowest spending there in a decade.

There was also a drop in spending in Swiss francs – of almost a fifth – which could be explained by poor exchange rates. The CBS blames the refugee crisis for reduced spending in Greece and terrorism and the failed coup for the outcome in Turkey.  By contrast, the Dutch have been spending relatively more in Austria, Spain and France.

From January to June 2016, Dutch people spent €122 million on Greek travel, €81 million in Turkey and €62 million in Switzerland. Germany is, however, still the most popular destination for Dutch holidaymakers, who take almost a quarter of their foreign trips there.