What are the holiday trends among Dutch travellers? The summer is not over yet, but people will soon start orienting themselves and booking for 2020. Traditionally, for many people, the fun starts with the Vakantiebeurs (15-19 January).
We looked into it: What are the travel trends for 2020, who is the Dutch traveller and what are the decisive factors when booking a holiday?
Who is the Dutch traveller? The prospect of going on a nice trip makes a lot of Dutch people happy. So it’s not surprising that so many of us love going on holiday!
314 million nights spent away from home 75% of the Dutch population prefers to spend the holiday abroad, and on average we take 2.5 holidays a year. We have an average of 27 days of holiday per year and spend € 3,395 per person per year on holidays. In total, we spend 19.8 billion euros per year on holiday-related expenses. Another fun fact: 25% of Dutch people book all their trips well in advance.
More than half of the Dutch describe themselves as ‘discoverers’. The term ‘mini break’ is also popular. In addition to our longer holiday(s), we go away for just one night 3 to 6 times a year. The average duration of a longer holiday is 8 nights. Last year, all Dutch holidaymakers together spent 314 million nights in beds other than their own!
Where do we go? Almost 49% of Dutch people travel by plane to their foreign holiday destination. Almost 44% travel by car, and the remaining 7% uses other means of transport such as the bus, train or boat.
What are our favourite European destinations?
1. Italy
2. Germany
3. Spain
4. Greece/France
5. Norway/Croatia
And outside Europe?
1. Asia
2. Central and North America
3. Africa
4. South America/Caribbean
5. Canada/Australia/New Zealand
What are the travel trends for 2020? 314 million nights spent away from home: The Dutch love to travel! But how do you reach out to this target group? We are sharing a number of travel trends for 2020.
Travellers are looking for experiences A holiday is no longer only seen as a time to rest and relax: travelling is seen as a way of life in which personal development is important. We want trips to be more challenging, more sustainable and also go on trips more often. We are looking for relaxation and adventure, we want to develop ourselves, we want to spend time together and we want to get inspired.
The demand for generic travel guides is declining. Travellers are looking for a specific travel experience and shorter, relevant content; mostly online. Individual recommendations increasingly determine their destination. As a result, travel organisations now more often decide to offer personal travel experiences instead of selling a fixed package or mainstream product.
Sustainable travel Dutch holidaymakers are becoming more conscious of how and where they travel. Before booking, they spend more time looking at the political, social and environmental problems of a potential travel destination. For almost half of the passengers, these issues are a factor in their decision on where they will go. In addition, holidaymakers want to be sure that they are safe – regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation.
Special hotspots, sleeping outdoor or in a tree house, homestays: the place where you stay has become more important than ever before. Dutch travellers are also increasingly paying attention to the sustainability aspect of their trip. Contact with the local population and trips with a focus on volunteering are also higher on the wish list these days.
Personal contact and individual experiences are key. Conclusion: we are primarily looking for travel experiences. How can you show travellers what you as an organisation have to offer? The right vibe, the right interaction and the biggest surprises will tempt people to book a holiday. Special destinations, experiences of other travellers, an active online and offline presence, storytelling by means of good stories and touching images definitely help, but personal contact is still central.
The ideal place for holiday inspiration: the Vakantiebeurs 2020 Over the past fifty years, the Vakantiebeurs has proven to be of value to both exhibitors and visitors. The largest, multi-day holiday event in the Benelux attracts more than a hundred thousand travel enthusiasts to Utrecht every year: it is the place to find inspiration for your next trip, through experience and personal contact.
Personal encounters with travel enthusiasts Visitors come for information on new travel destinations, for inspiration, for great offers and for personal contact with travel agencies and local experts. By being at the Vakantiebeurs as an exhibitor, you get the opportunity to personally talk to all those travel-loving visitors who are looking for either familiar destinations or ‘something completely different’. Each encounter can have added value for your database, brand awareness, travel portfolio; for your entire company.
The Vakantiebeurs turns 50! The 2020 edition will be extra special: the Vakantiebeurs is celebrating its 50th anniversary! Want to participate? For information on possibilities and rates, please contact 030 – 295 5911 or go here.
*Sources: CVO, Emerce, NBTC-NIPO Research, Booking.com, Vakantiebeurs fact sheet