A third of Dutch residents undecided about summer vacation amid rising costs

Despite inflation, residents of the Netherlands are eager to go on summer vacation this year, but roughly a third have not yet booked their holiday. A survey of 1,000 residents conducted last month showed that 86 percent of the Dutch population plan to go on vacation this summer. However, 37 percent are still waiting to make their arrangements.

Several reasons account for this delay, according to the survey by OnePoll carried out on behalf of travel booking company Skyscanner. About 52 percent of those waiting said they are uncertain about their destination, while 38 percent are unsure about their vacation dates. Additionally, 36 percent are still scouting for the best deals.

It was already clear that the summer holiday period will hit the wallets of residents particularly hard this year. On average, a vacation this year is 13 percent more expensive compared to the last year, according to booking and comparison site Zoover. This increase is primarily attributed to escalating energy prices, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine.

Flight tickets have especially jumped in price. The cost of plane tickets has surged by 45 percent in one year, according to Statistics Netherlands. This leap is due to the skyrocketing price of kerosene and high demand. The necessity for airlines to reroute their flights around Russia, instead of over it, has also led to an increase in kerosene consumption. Moreover, at the beginning of this year, the Cabinet significantly raised the air passenger tax, from 8 euros per ticket to over 26 euros.

Data analysis from Skyscanner suggested that the week from August 19 is the most affordable for flights, although this may not be ideal for families with children in the central Netherlands school region, where the summer break ends on August 20. The seven-day period from July 22 is projected to be the most expensive. The company's data also indicated that travelers should also consider flying on a Wednesday, a day when airports tend to be less crowded. They can also try flying from airports outside the Netherlands, such as Brussels and Düsseldorf, to save money.

Not only flying is more expensive this year. The prices for car rentals are also higher than before the pandemic. Rental companies sold off large parts of their fleets during the pandemic and then struggled to replace them. This was due to the stalled production of new cars due to the global shortage of microchips.

It also costs more to rent a caravan and go to a campsite. The Dutch travel association ANWB said that a spot on a campsite is 5 to 7 percent more expensive this year.