Dutch spend €16 billion on holidays; first increase since 2012

For the first time since 2012, Dutch people spent more money on holidays. In total Dutch spent nearly 16 billion euros on more than 35 million holidays, a 3 percent increase in spending, according to research by NBTC-NIPO Research.

Around 12.7 million Dutch people went on one or more holidays in 2015, 100 thousand more than last year. The Dutch who went on holiday this year, did so less often than last year. The rate decreased from 2.80 holidays per holidaymaker last year to 2.77 this year. A total of 35.1 million holidays were taken - 17 million in the Netherlands and 18.1 million abroad.

Dutch holidaymakers spent a total of 16 billion euros on holidays this year, of which about 13 billion abroad and 3 billion domestically. This amount increased by 3 percent, or 500 million euros, compared to last year.

The number of foreign holidays increased by 1 percent over this past year to some 18.1 million vacations taken abroad. Germany is the top destination with about 3.4 million vacation taken there, followed by France with 2.6 million.

The number of domestic holidays fell by 200 thousand to 17 million this year, a decrease of 1 percent. North Sea resorts are still the most popular holiday destination in own country with 2.2 million holidays. The Veluwe came in second place with 1.9 million holidays.