More package holidays

Last year, 12.5 million Dutch went on holiday at least once. Fewer and fewer people go on holiday without having made prior arrangements. They also more often opt for hotels to spend the night.

Number of holiday makers stable in recent years

In 2007, the Dutch took over 35 million holidays; half were domestic holidays. On average, they go on holiday 2.8 times a year.

Between 1990 and 2002, the proportion of people who went on holiday at least once a year rose from 75 to 81 percent and has been stable ever since.

Short holidays abroad by country of destination

Two thirds are long holidays

Nearly two thirds of the 35 million holidays taken in 2007 were long holidays. Long holidays are mostly spent abroad: 13.9 million as against 8.5 million holidays in the Netherlands. Short holidays are predominantly spent in the Netherlands (71 percent) or Belgium, Germany or France.

The average duration of long foreign and domestic holidays is approximately 13 and 10 days respectively. Short foreign and domestic holidays on average last 3.3 and 3.2 days respectively.

Long holidays abroad by type of holiday

More package holidays

Fewer Dutch go on holiday without having made prior arrangements. Package holidays, on the other hand, both in the Netherlands and abroad, have become increasingly popular.

The number of domestic short and long package holidays rose from one quarter in 2002 to over one third in 2007. The number of package holidays abroad also increased sharply from 40 percent in 2002 to 51 percent in 2007. Most package holidays are booked through travel agencies.

Short holidays in the Netherlands by type of accommodation

Hotels increasingly populair

More than 9 million people in the Netherlands took short domestic holidays in 2007. Hotels have become increasingly popular in recent years. The number of overnight stays in summer cottages and bungalows also increased. As a result, fewer people travel to their holiday destination with caravans and folding trailers.

Henk Swinkels