In 2021, even fewer international visitors are expected in Holland than last year. Business fell and is falling hard. While the catch-up process has begun with the first easing, “we expect mainly intercontinental travel and business travel, especially meetings and conventions, to be slower to take off.
This week, NBTC announced that Holland is expected to welcome 5.4 million international visitors this year. That is 26 percent less than last “corona year” and 73 percent less than in 2019, the last “pre-corona year. Dutch people are going out more often in their own country this year compared to last year, but this does not compensate for the declining number of international guests and the loss of revenue. “The expected annual figures paint a more dramatic picture than we had earlier this year. This is due to the continuing travel restrictions and restrictive measures that have been in place for almost the entire year. As a result, tourist and business visits in the Netherlands this year are even sinking back to the level of the early 1990s. The sector is still in dire straits and the importance of support and recovery measures remains more valid than ever,” says Jos Vranken, Managing Director NBTC.
Numbers and revenue of international visit continue to decline
This year, Holland is expected to receive 5.4 million international visitors, over a quarter less than last year. Jos Vranken: “Due to the declining visitation, the Netherlands receives a lot less income. For example, international day and stay visitors spent 14.5 billion euros in 2020 compared to 34.7 billion euros in 2019 (-58%). Spending by domestic day and stay tourism decreased from 46.6 billion euros in 2019 to 32.1 billion euros in 2020 (-31%). For this year, we expect an even stronger decline in total tourism spending.”
Domestic tourism at pre-corona level
The Netherlands expects to welcome 26 million visitors from its own country this year, an increase of nearly 30 percent from 2020. Jos Vranken: “One explanation for this is a popular May vacation, during which many Dutch people went on holiday in their own country. In addition, more Dutch people booked a summer vacation in their own country due to the strict travel restrictions that were announced again in mid-July.”
Full recovery not expected until 2024
In 2022, NBTC expects to welcome more international visitors than this year. Domestic lodging tourism will remain at nearly the same level next year. “We can probably only speak of full recovery in 2024. Vacations will pick up again in the short term, but we expect mainly intercontinental travel and business travel, especially meetings and conferences, to start up more slowly. Sustainable recovery and development is not self-evident, but is of great importance in light of the valuable contribution of the Dutch hospitality sector to our prosperity and well-being,” said Jos Vranken.
