Holiday flights increasingly popular

Last year, the Dutch spent nearly 13 billion euro on holiday trips. Holiday flights have become increasingly popular in recent years.

Over 80 percent of Dutch population went on holiday in 2006

More than 80 percent of the Dutch population went on a long or short holiday last year. This percentage has been fairly stable since 2002. Three quarters of the population went on a long holiday, four in ten went on a short holiday.

In the holiday year 2006, more than 22 million long holidays and over 12 million short holidays were taken. The total amounts spent on long and short holiday trips were 11.4 and 1.5 billion euro respectively.

Veluwe region popular domestic holiday destination

Most long domestic holidays were spent in resorts along the North Sea coast, but many holidaymakers travelled to the Veluwe, the sandy areas in the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe, Central Limburg and the Rijk van Nijmegen. The Veluwe is the most popular region for short holidays.

Long foreign holidays by destination

France still number one foreign holiday destination

Sixteen percent of long, foreign holidays were spent in France as against 20 percent in 2002, but France remains the most popular foreign destination, followed by Germany (12 percent) and Spain (11 percent).

For short holidays abroad, Belgium is the most popular destination, although its popularity has been waning in recent years. Currently, Germany is an almost equally popular destination for short foreign holidays.

Holiday flights

More and more holidaymakers travel to their destination by air. Last year, 37 percent of foreign long holiday destinations were reached by air as compared to less than 30 percent in 2002. The same trend is shown with respect to short holidays: in 2002 and 2006 10 and 14 percent respectively.

Transport used on long holidays abroad, 2006

More package holidays

In recent years, package holidays have become increasingly popular. Fewer people go on holiday without having arranged anything in advance. Most package holidays are booked through travel agencies, often online. Domestic package holidays are often booked via booking centres of large hotel and holiday park chains.

Henk Swinkels