Tourism Netherlands

Tourism Netherlands

The Netherlands, a country in northwestern Europe, is known for a flat landscape of canals, tulip fields, windmills and cycling routes. Amsterdam, the capital, is home to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and the house where Jewish diarist Anne Frank hide during World War II. Canalside mansions and a trove of works from artists including Rembrandt and Vermeer remain from the city’s 17th-century “Golden Age”.

Tourism becoming more important for the Dutch economy. In the last few years, tourism has been growing at a faster rate than the economy. As such, its economic value has also risen, 3,9 percent in 2016 compared to only 3 percent in 2010. The added value of 17,3 billion in 2010 has increased by more than 30 percent and now totals 24,8 billion euros. 75,7 billion euros was spent on tourism in 2016, This is more than 27 percent higher than in 2010 and four percent higher than last year.

2016 saw an increase in employment for every category. The largest increase was in the hotels, restaurants and cafés category, which grew by four percent. The number of people working in the tourism sector in general rose by 2 percent to give a total of 542.000. Another 13.000 jobs were also added to the tourism industry, totaling 641.000 and showing an increase of 2,1 percent. The number of jobs in the Dutch economy, however, only rose by one percent. The tourism sector accounted for 6,4 percent of all jobs in the Netherlands in 2016.

The growth in the tourism industry is being driven by tourists from abroad. In 2016 foreign tourists spent 21 billion euros in the Netherlands, and the number of nights they stayed increased by more than six percent compared to 2015. Dutch nationals also made the most of the attractions and sightseeing in the Netherlands, as they spent 45 billion euros on tourism, 1,5 billion more than in 2015.