Holiday destinations throughout Europe may be opening up to tourists again, but most people in the Netherlands either have no plans to go away or say they will stay in this country, according to the EenVandaag viewers’ panel.

Half of the 29,000 panel users said they would not be going away this summer and of the one third who have plans, 42% say they will remain in the Netherlands.

Many of those polled said they considered it safer to remain in the Netherlands, while others were concerned they might get stranded if there was a major outbreak again.

‘It feels safer, being closer to home. We speak the language and it won’t be a problem to get home if there is a second wave,’ one respondent said.

The rules and regulations which would eat into the carefree nature of a summer holiday were also mentioned by many.

Abroad

One in five of those polled said they would go to a country where the infection rate was similar to the Netherlands, such as Germany, Italy, Belgium or Croatia.

But 22% said they planned to go to the traditional summer holiday destinations – France, Greece and Spain – as they always did. The Dutch government is due to say on June 15 if holidays to these countries can be sanctioned again.

Travelling by plane remains out of favour, with 72% people heading abroad planning to go by car. Pre-corona virus, about 51% said they would go on holiday by car.

Asked about tourists coming to the Netherlands, 45% said this was a good idea and would help boost the economy. But 37% are not happy about the idea and 18% have doubts. In particular they are worried about people coming to the Netherlands from countries which have been less strict about dealing with the virus.

The government has said that tourists from both Britain and Sweden are not welcome.