Tourism spending in Netherlands swells to nearly €73 billion annually

The tourism sector is playing an increasingly prominent role in the Dutch economy, according to Statistics Netherlands. Last year tourism spending in the Netherlands amounted to 72,7 billion euros. Growing 5 percent for the second consecutive year. Foreign tourists spent nearly 20 billion euros in the Netherlands last year, an increase of 13 percent compared to 2014. This can partly be attributed to an increase in foreign tourists - 8 percent more than in 2014. More foreign tourists also booked accommodation and airline tickets through Dutch companies. Many of these tourists never actually traveled to the Netherlands, but the Dutch companies still made money through these bookings. Spending by Dutch tourists in their own country also increased - up 2.6 percent compared to 2014. In 2010 the tourism sector accounted for added value of 17.3 billion euros. Last year it was 23.3 billion euros, an increase of nearly 35 percent. The tourism sector is growing faster than the rest of the Dutch economy. And as a result, the tourism share of the gross domestic product increased from 3 percent in 2010 to 3.8 percent in 2015.