Dutch travelers spend most in Germany in summer 2024
Dutch travelers spent more than 8.7 billion euros on goods and services abroad in the third quarter of 2024, according to new figures released by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Of this total, 92 percent was attributed to private expenditures. The majority of these expenditures were made in neighboring Germany, followed by France and Spain.
CBS data reveals that German destinations continued to dominate the spending habits of Dutch tourists. In the third quarter of 2024, Dutch travelers allocated 14 percent of their total overseas spending in Germany. France and Spain ranked second and third, with French destinations receiving 1.16 billion euros and Spain 898.7 million euros, respectively.
Other European countries also featured prominently in the top ten destinations for Dutch spending. Italy, Belgium, and Greece ranked fourth through sixth, while the United States was the only non-European country to appear in the top ten. Collectively, these countries accounted for 74 percent of the total spending by Dutch travelers abroad.
In addition to the most popular destinations, the spending figures also reflect a broader trend. The total outflow of funds by Dutch travelers, a key component of international services trade, reached its highest point since 2014, following a dip during the COVID-19 pandemic. The third quarter of 2024 also marked the largest value of travel-related spending on record.
The rise in international travel is part of a broader trend within Dutch services trade. According to CBS, travel-related spending remains one of the five largest categories in the country’s international services trade. This includes both imports and exports. Travel spending alone represents 9 percent of the total Dutch services imports and 7 percent of exports.
The report also detailed that foreign travelers spent more than 6.7 billion euros in the Netherlands during the same period. Of that amount, 46 percent was contributed by German visitors, the largest spending group. Belgium and the United Kingdom followed, accounting for 11 percent and 5 percent of the total, respectively. The U.S. was also a significant contributor, with American tourists spending 301.7 million euros in the Netherlands.
