Dutch survey shows steady summer travel demand despite inflation and oil price concerns
A Dutch survey suggests that summer holiday demand is holding up despite ongoing concerns about inflation, energy prices, and political conflicts, with the majority of travelers already locking in their bookings.
An RTL Nieuwspanel survey of about 23,000 people in the Netherlands, discussed on RTL's Thursday morning broadcast, found that while respondents reported being influenced by uncertainty over oil prices and inflation, overall summer holiday plans remained broadly consistent with previous years. About 35 percent of respondents said they plan to take a summer holiday this year. Of those, 74 percent have already booked their trips.
Destination choices reflect familiar patterns. Twenty percent of respondents said they will stay in the Netherlands, while 14 percent plan to travel to France, 11 percent to Spain, 8 percent to Germany, and 8 percent to Italy. Another 7 percent said they will travel to destinations outside Europe. Among those who have already booked, 10 percent reportedly opted for package holidays.
The survey suggests that inflation and energy costs are influencing behavior more through timing and planning than through cancellations, with travelers adjusting booking patterns rather than abandoning trips.
On the other hand, British budget airline EasyJet, one of the largest passenger airlines operating at Schiphol Airport, said its summer bookings are running slightly behind last year, while close-to-departure demand remains strong.
The airline said geopolitical uncertainty linked to tensions in the Middle East, including concerns around Iran, is leading passengers to book later rather than cancel travel plans. For the remainder of its financial year through the end of September, 58 percent of seats are currently sold, compared with 60 percent at the same point last year. EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said the airline does not currently expect disruptions to fuel supply and urged customers to “book with confidence."
The airline also pointed to continued pressure from higher fuel costs. It reported a wider pre-tax loss of about 645 million euros in the first half of its financial year, compared with around 469 million euros a year earlier, reflecting elevated jet fuel prices.
EasyJet has also adjusted its flight schedule, canceling selected services on some routes during April and May and shifting capacity away from destinations closer to conflict zones in the Middle East. The airline said it continues to monitor costs closely and plans modest increases in minimum ticket prices during the winter period, while describing current summer pricing as broadly in line with last year.
