Limburg remains the most attractive holiday destination in the Netherlands for Dutch people

Limburg remains the most attractive holiday destination for Dutch people planning vacations within their own country. This is according to The City & Region Brand Survey (Het Steden & Streken Merkenonderzoek) by brand researcher Hendrik Beerda Brand Consultancy.

Like last year, Limburg remains the most attractive province for holidays in the Netherlands in 2023. Drenthe and Gelderland follow as the second and third most popular respectively. Zeeland, which ranked second last year, has dropped to fourth place. Just as in the previous year, Flevoland continues to be the least favorite holiday destination.

"Regarding natural beauty, Limburg scores comparably to Drenthe and Gelderland. People prefer to walk and cycle in Gelderland. The ruggedness of nature is what makes Drenthe so appreciated and in Zeeland, it's obviously the coast. However, a good holiday primarily revolves around atmosphere and quality of stay, and in these aspects, Limburg scores the best by far. People enjoy the beauty of Limburg's nature most while on a car ride," explained brand advisor Hendrik Beerda.

According to the survey, Maastricht, the capital of Limburg, remains the favorite municipality in the Netherlands for Dutch people to visit on holiday, followed by Middelburg and Utrechtse Heuvelrug. Amsterdam and The Hague come in fourth and fifth.

Maastricht is perceived as the friendliest city in the Netherlands and the most dynamic and creative outside the Randstad. Maastricht has the most beautiful architecture and the best hospitality industry, just behind Amsterdam. However, the study revealed that in terms of the quality of stay, and especially in terms of atmosphere and the surrounding landscape, Amsterdam cannot match Maastricht.

The City & Region Brand Survey is developed in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam and Utrecht University. The survey monitors the reputation of the 100 largest municipalities and all Dutch regions and provinces. Since 2011, 109,000 respondents have been asked about name recognition, appreciation, engagement, visit intention, growth expectations, and reputation. The survey is carried out independently.