Amsterdam remains most popular Dutch destination as holiday stays breaks record

Amsterdam remains the Netherlands' most popular destination for tourists. Last year, accommodations in the Dutch capital received 9 million guests, 21 percent more than a year earlier. In 2023, 49.7 million guests stayed in Dutch hotels, campsites, and cottages, 8.1 percent more than a year earlier and a new record, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported on Tuesday.

The number of international tourists increased particularly, rising by almost a quarter to 20.4 million foreign tourists visiting the Netherlands. That puts the number of international visitors back to the pre-pandemic level. Most international tourists came from Germany (7.2 million), Belgium (2.5 million), North and South America (2.1 million), and the United Kingdom (2.0 million). The number of Dutch guests remained approximately the same.

The number of foreign guests staying in Amsterdam accommodations increased by 26 percent. Foreign guests in the capital mainly came from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany. Last year, the city launched a “stay away” campaign aimed at British party tourists. It’s had limited effect, the city acknowledged. The number of Dutch tourists staying in Amsterdam increased by 8 percent.

The other large cities also saw a significant increase in tourism last year. Rotterdam and Utrecht each welcomed 19 percent more guests to their hotels, campsites, and other accommodations. The Hague had 11 percent more overnight stays.

Thanks to Amsterdam, Noord-Holland welcomed the most guests last year and saw the biggest increase in tourists spending the night (+17 percent). The number of guests also increased by more than 10 percent in Overijssel and Zuid-Holland. Friesland, Noord-Brabant, and Drenthe saw a decrease in overnight guests.

Hotels are the most popular form of accommodation, receiving 32.6 million guests in 2023. That is 11 percent more than a year earlier. Campsites received 5.2 million guests and cottages 10.4 million, a slight increase compared to 2022. “It is the third year in a row with an increase in these accommodations,” CBS said. The number of people staying at group accommodations like hostels remained about the same at 1.6 million.