Fewer swimming pools

By the end of 2006, there were 725 public swimming pools, including beach and natural swimming pools. The number of swimming pools declined by 60 over the period 1988-2006. Outdoor swimming pools in particular declined substantially. The number of combined swimming pools (indoor and outdoor) as well as the number of beach and natural swimming pools declined. The number of indoor swimming pools, on the other hand, increased by one fifth between 1988 and 2006.
Municipal authorities operated 64 percent of swimming pools in 1988, as opposed to only 37 percent in 2006.

Types of swimming pools

85 million visitors

Since 1988, between 82 and 93 million people have annually visited swimming pools. The beautiful summer of 2003 stands out with over 97 million visitors.
In 2006, public swimming pools in the Netherlands attracted some 88 million visitors. Just over half of them went to indoor swimming pools. Combined swimming pools accounted for approximately one third of visitors.

Swimming pool visitors

Fewer day trips to beaches and inland waters

Last year, 9.5 million day trips were made to beaches, lakes and recreation waters. The number of day trips to beaches and inlands waters declined relative to 2002.

Day trips to beaches and inland waters

Maico Hoksbergen and Jamilja van der Meulen