Too many tourists in Amsterdam? There might be but there are also more people visiting outside of the capital! There has been a growth of tourism outside of the big cities because of marketing campaigns and millennials searching for authentic experiences, reports RTLNieuws.
According to a report released by ABN Amro, there has been a growth of foreign tourism in the Netherlands, where the growth is twice as fast outside of the big cities as compared to overnight stays in Amsterdam. They say, “Chinese tourists go to the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, or the provinces of Gelderland and Limburg. Britons like to go to Flevoland and Noord-Brabant”.
Tourism in the Netherlands: Looking for that authentic Dutch experience
According to Sonny Duijin, the retail and leisure sector economist at ABN Amro, millennials have emerged to be a specific target group for the regions outside of the big cities. The regions should hope to tap into the growing trend, internationally and here, of wanting to “feel like a local resident”. This way tourism can be spread out across the country so that lesser known attractions can also be easily found.
Tourism in the Netherlands: What do the numbers say?
According to a study by the Dutch Office for Tourism and Congresses (NBTC), there has been a 7% increase of tourists visiting the Netherlands last, as compared to last year. They comes from Germany (5.7 million), the United Kingdom (2.2 million), Belgium (2.4 million), and more from Russia, Spain and Switzerland. There was a total of 19.1 million tourists last year, and they spent a total of 12.7 billion euros.
So what do you think is the authentic Dutch experience? Do you think you have lived here long enough to have experienced it, or do you feel like you’re missing out on something? For our Dutch readers, what do you like to show from your country? Let us know in the comments below!