Eight out of 10 Dutch people plan to go on holiday this year, with nearly half planning to stay in the country.

Bookings have increased by 48% compared to 2021, the highest rate in Europe, while half of people have been away on holiday in the first half of the year, according to the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC).

Dutch tourists are bucking the European trend in being more likely than last year to opt for a destination in their own country. Some 43% of Dutch holidaymakers stayed home in June 2022, compared to 41% in July 2021.

French tourists were more likely to go abroad this year, with 64% staying home compared to 73% last year, while 45% of British holidaymakers stayed in their own country in 2022, down from 45% in 2021.

‘Holidays are popular again now that more is possible,’ says NBTC general manager Jos Vranken. ‘Yet we see once again increasing uncertainty, partly due to declining purchasing power and declining consumer confidence.

‘What is striking is that the Dutch still largely go on holiday in their own country, while the expectation was that they would also want to opt for foreign holiday destinations en masse.’

Corona fears

These days, price trumps corona fears when people book holidays, although people are expecting a new corona wave in the autumn.

The chaos at Schiphol airport has also made flying less appealing, with half of Dutch people opting to travel by other means.

‘This year, too, growing uncertainties appear to be a reason for some Dutch people to choose their own country as a safe and trusted holiday destination,’ said Vranken.

According to a report by the second-hand sales site Marktplaats, the demand for camper vans and caravans has skyrocketed in recent months as people try to avoid flying.