Summer vacation on average 13% more expensive than last year

Summer vacation will hit Netherlands residents even harder in the wallet this year. On average, a vacation is 13 percent more expensive than last year. Flight tickets, in particular, have jumped in price, De Telegraaf reports.

It is due to supply and demand, the travel sector told the newspaper. The demand for vacations is massive, with booking record after booking record breaking. And due to scarcity, no one has to offer a vacation at low prices during the high season. The rest of the price increases are due to inflation and taxes.

According to Statistics Netherlands, plane tickets have become 45 percent more expensive in one year. The price of kerosene skyrocketed, flight tax increased, and there is enormous demand. Airlines now also have to fly around Russia instead of over it, increasing kerosene use.

“We see that people are already booking for next year. Then you can still fly to Bali for 600 to 700 euros,” Frangken Tuhumena from travel specialist 333Travel told the Telegraaf. But if you’re trying to book for this summer, the short notice will cost you. Within Europe, environmental regulations are also adding a few dozen euros on top of ticket prices compared to last year.

The prices for car rentals are also higher than before the pandemic. Rental companies got rid of large parts of their fleets during the coronavirus period and then struggled to replace them due to a shortage of chips. Prices are dropping slightly again but will likely stabilize higher than before, Tjeerd Kamer from price comparator EasyTerra said.

It also costs more to rent a caravan and go to a campsite. According to the ANWB, a place on a campsite is 5 to 7 percent more expensive this year.

According to booking and comparison site Zoover, this year a summer vacation costs about 2,200 euros on average, compared to 1,950 last year. An increase of about 13 percent. “There is a lot of inflation in general, which also applies to the travel industry. This is mainly due to rising energy prices, the aftermath of corona, the war, and the flight tax.”

The higher prices have more people looking at closer holiday destinations and going there by car, according to the ANWB.