Dutch holiday parks see sharp drop in bookings after VAT hike drives tourists away
Holiday parks across the Netherlands are seeing unusually high numbers of empty accommodations this Easter weekend, with bookings down 10 to 20 percent compared with previous years, especially affecting Zeeland and border regions such as Limburg, BNR reports.
The decline is driven largely by higher prices following tax increases, including a rise in value-added tax on holiday accommodation from 9 to 21 percent that took effect Jan. 1, said Geert Dijks of trade association Hiswa Recron. German tourists, a key customer group for Dutch coastal and border regions, are especially staying away.
Dijks said the industry has not previously seen such a sudden downturn. “We have never seen such a decline in such a short time.”
He attributed the drop primarily to taxation changes and rising local fees. “That is the main reason. And additionally tourist tax. Municipalities have a ravine year and must fill that financial gap. And that means they tax the tourist, because they cannot vote in the municipality where they are on vacation.”
German visitors, known for being highly price-conscious, are particularly responsive to cost differences, hitting regions such as Zeeland and other border provinces hardest.
Dijks warned that the impact may not be temporary and could permanently shift travel patterns if tourists choose cheaper destinations outside the Netherlands. “If you are lured to another country that is cheaper, that can mean loss for the long term.”
He added that Dutch tourists are also increasingly crossing borders to avoid higher costs. That trend is putting additional pressure on campsites and holiday parks in border areas, including Limburg, where proximity to lower-tax destinations makes travel abroad especially attractive.
“We of course had corona, but that was temporary. This seems permanent. It is still early to make the balance, but things are really going in the wrong direction at the moment.”
The industry association is urging the government to reverse the VAT increase, arguing that tourism has broader economic benefits beyond the sector itself. Dijks said spending in holiday parks supports surrounding communities, noting that local businesses depend heavily on visitor traffic.
