NL residents massively booking autumn holidays abroad

Netherlands residents are massively aiming for an autumn in the sun. Travel organizations are currently seeing the number of bookings double compared to this time last year, De Telegraaf reported.

The summer holidays were disappointing for many, as increasing coronavirus infections in some popular destinations, like parts of Spain for example, resulted in canceled trips. The Netherlands getting a dark red travel warning in the European Union also resulted in Dutch travelers having to quarantine when traveling, or not being allowed in some countries at all. The storm of cancellations this caused in July cost the travel sector some 100 million euros, according to the newspaper.

But now Netherlands residents have a better idea of what documents they'll need to travel. A large proportion of the country is now also fully vaccinated. "At the beginning of August it was decided that travel to code orange areas will be allowed again, if the tourist does a test on the way back. That could not save the summer season, but now the consumer knows where they stand," Mirjam Dresme of travel agencies' association ANVR said to the newspaper.

The bad weather of the past week also boosted bookings, a spokesperson for TUI added.