Dutch summer travel drops for second year amid rising prices as only 52% go on holiday
For the second year in a row, fewer Dutch people are going on summer holidays in July and August, according to Dutch mobility association ANWB’s latest Holiday Monitor. This year, 52 percent are going away for the holidays, down from 57 percent last year.
“More than 7 million Dutch people are still traveling this summer, but we are seeing that the summer holiday is no longer a given for the first time,” said an ANWB spokesperson. “Financial pressure in particular is keeping people at home. At the same time, the desire to get away remains strong, but it is increasingly being fulfilled at other times of the year.”
Holidays are becoming more expensive, ANWB notes. But on top of that, many people do not want to travel because of current wars and conflicts. Four in ten Dutch people find travel less attractive due to the geopolitical state of the world.
On the other hand, vacations at other times of the year are becoming more common. The May holiday period was very popular this year, while the upcoming September period also promises an uptick in the number of holidaygoers.
Overall, most holidaymakers stay within Europe (92 percent). Of those, 66 percent travel by car, 31 percent by plane, and 9 percent by train. Five percent are taking a summer holiday in Asia and four percent in North America.
Popular countries in Europe include France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Outside Europe, destinations include Curaçao, Vietnam, China, and Tanzania.
Thirty-three percent will be going on holiday domestically. That is slightly lower than in 2025, when 34 percent stayed in the Netherlands.
ANWB added that travelers are increasingly taking climate change and overcrowding into account. More than half reportedly avoid areas with extreme heat or overtourism.
Dutch people are also using AI tools more often to plan their holidays. In 2025, 24 percent used an AI tool such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot, compared with 39 percent this year.
In the meantime, in the Netherlands, the start of the summer holiday season in the northern region is not immediately causing major traffic disruptions. However, Friday afternoon saw increased congestion due to recreational traffic, roadworks, and German border controls. Domestic delays are also being driven by closures on major routes, including the A27 between Everdingen and Gorinchem, which is affecting traffic on the A2 from Utrecht southbound and causing additional pressure on the A16 toward the Belgian border.
