Although one third of Dutch singles tend not to go on holiday, most of the rest go away with friends or organised groups, the national statistics office CBS said on Thursday.

August is the peak month for holidays among the Dutch and this includes singles who make up about a third of the total population of some 17 million. Singles rarely vacation in the Netherlands and often go outside Europe for their break, the CBS said.

In 2016, 67% of Dutch singles, which includes widows and widowers, went on holiday at least once a year. But this percentage trailed that of people living in a family unit where 82% took a holiday. These figures are largely unchanged in recent years.

City trips are most popular with singles who favoured Paris, Berlin and London. Some 40% of singles stay in hotels, compared with 30% of families. Singles are also less likely to camp or stay on a holiday park, the CBS said.