Allowing aviation sector to grow further won't benefit Dutch economy: study

Further expansion of aviation in the Netherlands would no longer yield extra economic gains. With its already extensive network, the Dutch market has reached saturation, research conducted by the British climate think tank New Economics Foundation for the European environmental group Transport & Environment has shown.

“The notion that expanding aviation boosts the economy no longer applies to the Netherlands,” explains Bert van Mourik, who leads the aviation program at Natuur & Milieu.

Large numbers of tourists fly from the Netherlands to other destinations, and countless passengers transit through Schiphol. “That means they spend their money elsewhere,” Van Mourik notes. “In practice, that results in money flowing out of the country.”

According to earlier figures from Statistics Netherlands, aviation accounted for a little over 0.4 percent of the Dutch economy in 2023. “That estimate focuses on the industry’s direct revenue,” Van Mourik explains. “This new study, however, also takes into account the broader economic effects.”

The aviation industry often argues that it strengthens the Netherlands’ appeal to businesses, a claim Van Mourik doesn’t dispute. “Still, the findings show that additional flights would bring little benefit. More air connections won’t be the deciding factor for companies considering a move to the Netherlands,” he says.

The study analyzed data from over 270 regions throughout Europe. In places where aviation networks remain less developed, such as parts of Eastern Europe, further growth in air travel can still help drive economic expansion. In contrast, in countries like Spain and Italy, the researchers found that tourism-related air traffic plays a major role in supporting economic activity.