From bastis

The Netherlands (also commonly called Holland in English) is a Benelux country located in North-West Europe. The Netherlands border Germany to the East and Belgium to the South. To the West, the country faces the North Sea and the United Kingdom. The people, language and culture of the Netherlands are referred to as "Dutch".

Contents 1 Country Profile 1.1 Geography/Population 1.2 Politics 1.3 Economy 2 Tourism Demand 2.1 General 2.2 International travel 2.3 Travel behaviour 2.4 Holiday planning 2.5 Heritage Tourism 3 Traffic links into the Baltic Sea Region 3.1 Air 3.2 Sea 3.3 Rail 3.4 Road 4 References

Country Profile

Geography/Population

• Land area: 41,543 km² (country comparison to the world: 134)
• Population: 16.7 million inhabitants (country comparison to the world: 59); 400 inhabitants/km²; 80.7% Dutch, 5% other EU-citizens, 2.4% Indonesian, 2.2% Turkish, 2% Surinamese, 2% Morocans, 0.8% Dutch Caribbean, 4.9% other
• Biggest Cities: Capital Amsterdam (758,000), Rotterdam (584,000), Den Haag (seat of government: 483,000), Utrecht (299,000), Eindhoven (212,000)
• Urbanisation: 82% of the Dutch population live in cities
• Religions: Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, Muslim 5.8%, other Protestant 3%, 2.2% other, none 42%
• Languages: Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
• Age structure (Median age: 40.8 years):

0-14 years: 17.4%

15-64 years: 67.7%

65+ years: 14.9%

• Population projection: Against the European trend there will be small population growth in the future (2025: 17.3 million inhabitants)

_{Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2011 ^[1], UN Population divison 2010 ^[2]}

---

Politics

• Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
• Chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 1980)
• Head of government: Jan Peter Balkenende (since 2002)
• Administration: 12 provinces, 441 municipalities

_{Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2011 ^[1]}

---

Economy

	2007	2008	2009	2010*	2011*	2015*
GDP (PPP) in billion US$	652.8	679.6	659.0	676.7	696.4	797.1
GDP development	+7.0%	+4.1%	-3.0%	+2.7%	+2.9%
GDP per capita (PPP) in US$	39,800	41,300	39,900	40,800	41,900	47,900
Inflation rate	1.6%	2.2%	1.0%	1.3%	1.1%
Unemployment rate	3.2%	2.8%	3.5%	4.2%	4.4%

^{*2010, 2011, 2015 data: estimates by IMF, October 2010}

• GDP-composition by sector: services: 72.4% industry: 24.9% agriculture: 2.6%

• The Dutch industry is dominated by global cooperations in the food sector (Unilever, Heineken), chemistry (Akzo-Nobel), oil raffinery (Shell) and electronics (Philips, Tom-Tom). The Netherlands are also in a good position in the service sector, e.g. financial sector (ING, Fortis) and logistics (Transporthubs Rotterdamer Hafen, Amsterdamer Flughafen Schipohl). Following the USA and France, the Dutch are in third position worldwide as exporters of agricultural products (56% agricultural land use)

• Import- and export: Most important partners are Germany, Belgium, UK, USA, France and China (Import)
• Currency: Euro
• Income distribution: The Netherlands distibution of income is quite balanced (above-average, position 19 worldwide)
• HDI (Human Development Index): The Netherlands is a „Very High Human Development“ Country (2010: country comparison in the world: 7)
• Media access: 86% of Dutch households with Internet access; 174 Phones per 100 inhabitants; ICT Development Index (IDI), worldwide benchmarking of communication infrastructure: Rank 5

_{Source: IMF World Economic Outlook Database ^[3], CIA - The World Factbook 2011 ^[1], DZT Incoming Niederlande 2011 ^[4], UNDP Human Development Report 2010 ^[5], OECD Factbook (2010) ^[6]}

Tourism Demand

General

• Travel propensity: 84% of the Dutch travelled at least once in 2009, either for business or private purposes. This is the sixth highest value of all European countries. Note: travelling was defined as spending one night away from home, for private or business purposes.
• "Private" travel propensity:

79% of the Dutch had travelled – for private reasons – at least once in 2009

37% had made at least one holiday trip (4+ nights) and at least one short private trip (1-3 nights)

34% had made at least one holiday trip but no short private trips

8% had made at least one short private trip but no holiday trips

• Travel frequency of the Dutch private travellers:

22% of them made exactly one holiday or short private trip in 2009

24% made two

21% made three

19% four to five

9% six to ten

4% more than ten trips

• Domestic holidays: The share of main holiday trips of the Dutch with domestic destinations was only 18% in 2008. In European comparison this value is very low. Other countries with low domestic shares are e.g. the other Benelux states, Germany and the UK, because traditionally in these countries holiday trips abroad dominate.

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7] Flash Eurobarometer 258 (2009) ^[8]}

---

International travel

	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Number of international trips of the Dutch	20.9 million	21.4 million	21.5 million	22.4 million	23.8 million	22.6 million

• Holiday/business/VFR: 87% of the 22.6 million international trips in 2009 were holiday, 7% business, 6% VFR (visiting friends and relatives)
• Long/short holidays: 82% of the 18.5 million private trips abroad in 2009 were "long" holiday trips (4+ nights), 18% were "short" holiday trips (1-3 nights)
• Frequency of international travel: on average, every Dutch (15+ years old) took 1.6 international trips in 2009
• Regional source markets: 48% of international trips in 2009 originated from Western Netherlands, 23% from Southern Netherlands, 21% from Eastern Netherlands and 8% from Northern Netherlands
• Destinations all international trips 2009:

1. Germany (17%; 3.9 million)

2. France (17%; 3.8 million)

3. Spain (10%; 2.2 million)

4. Belgium (9%; 2.0 million)

5. UK (7%; 1.6 million)

• Destinations international holiday trips 2009 ("long" and "short" holidays):

1. Germany (17%; 3.2 million)

2. France (17%; 3.2 million)

3. Spain (11%; 2.0 million)

• Duration of international trips of the Dutch 2009:

International holiday trips: 10.4 nights

International VFR trips: 4.3 nights

International business trips: 4.5 nights

• International travel spendings 2009: total 16.7 billion Euro - corresponding to 745 Euro per international trip and 75 Euro per night abroad. Note: including all costs of travel and transport at home and at the destination

_{Source: IPK International: World Travel Monitor 2009. In: DZT Incoming Niederlande 2011 ^[4]}

---

Travel behaviour

• Major Motivation for main holiday trip 2009:

1. Rest/recreation 40% [EU27: 37%]

2. Sun/beach 18% [EU27: 19%]

3. Nature 13% [EU27: 6%]

• Method of transport for main holiday trip 2009:

1. Car 54% [EU27: 48%]

2. Airplane 36% [EU27: 35%]

3. Bus 3% [EU27: 6%]

4. Train 3% [EU27: 7%]

5. Boat 2% [EU27: 2%]

• Organisation of main holiday trip 2009:

50% Travel organised individually [EU27: 58%]

15% Travel booked through travel agency [EU27: 13%]

19% Package tour booked via Internet [EU27: 11%]

7% Package tour booked through travel agency [EU27: 10%]

9% Other [EU27: 7%]

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7]}

---

Holiday planning

• Holiday destination choice criteria of the Dutch:

1. Cultural heritage 35% [EU27: 25%]

2. The environment 13% [EU27: 32%]

3. Entertainment 13% [EU27: 16%]

• Information sources for holiday planning:

1. Internet: total 58% [EU27: 42%], most important source 36% [EU27: 24%]

2. Recommendations of friends/relatives: total 47% [EU27: 58%], most important source 20% [EU27: 30%]

3. Personal experience: total 28% [EU27: 31%], most important source 16% [EU27: 18%]

4. Catalogues/brochures: total 19% [EU27: 14%], most important source 8% [EU27: 6%]

5. Guidebooks/magazines: total 15% [EU27: 12%], most important source 6% [EU27: 5%]

6. Travel and tourist agencies: total 14% [EU27: 22%], most important source 10% [EU27: 11%]

7. Media (TV, radio, newspaper): total 9% [EU27: 9%], most important source 3% [EU27: 3%]

• Destination preferences:

50% Traditional, well-known destinations [EU27: 57%]

35% Non-traditional, emerging destinations [EU27: 28%]

13% Not important, no preference [EU27: 13%]

• Planned destination main holiday trip 2010:

15% Netherlands

6% Baltic Sea Region

57% Outside BSR

22% No main holiday planned

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7]}

---

Heritage Tourism

• Major Motivation for main holiday trip 2009:

1. Rest/recreation 40% [EU27: 37%]

2. Sun/beach 18% [EU27: 19%]

3. Nature 13% [EU27: 6%]

4. Visiting someone 11% [EU27: 17%]

5. Culture/religion 11% [EU27: 6%]

6. Sports-related 4% [EU27: 4%]

7. City trip 4% [EU27: 7%]

8. Wellness/health 1% [EU27: 3%]

• Holiday destination choice criteria of the Dutch:

1. Cultural heritage 35% [EU27: 25%]

2. The environment 13% [EU27: 32%]

3. Entertainment 13% [EU27: 16%]

4. Festivals/events 9% [EU27: 5%]

5. Gastronomy 4% [EU27: 6%]

6. Art 4% [EU27: 6%]

• Expectations about emerging destinations:

Expectations about emerging destinations vary widely across the different European countries. In the Netherlands as in the other Nordic countries (countries where many respondents preferred such destinations), respondents’ main expectations lay in the 'discovery of local culture and lifestyle' (50% [EU27: 33%]). Consequently other expectations, such as better value for money, lower prices, better environmental quality and better quality of service only played a minor role for the Dutch

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7]}

Traffic links into the Baltic Sea Region

Air

Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport is the number one airport the Netherlands' and one of the world's busiest. Other international airports with connections into the Baltic Sea Region are Eindhoven Airport and Groningen Airport. Please look up the airport links for their current connections into the BSR:

• Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
• Eindhoven Airport
• Groningen Airport

Sea

Due to geographical reasons, there is only one ferry-connection (across the North Sea) from the Netherlands into the Baltic Sea Region - to Germany. Information about schedules and tariffs can be found here.

Rail

High-speed trains like ICE and Thalys, but also the CityNightLine connect the Netherlands to the Western part of the Baltic Sea Region. Via Amsterdam Centraal, the Netherlands have several train-connections to Germany (Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt/Main and München) and Denmark (Copenhagen). Other import railway stations are Utrecht Centraal, Rotterdam Centraal, Leiden Centraal and Den Haag Centraal. For further infomation have a look at Dutch railways.

Road

The Netherlands has one of the most advanced motorway networks in the world. If you want to go to the Baltic Sea Region from the Netherlands, there are different possibilities to cross the border to Germany, e.g. E 22 via Bunde, E 23 via Meppen, E 30 via Emsbüren in the North and E35 via Emmerich, E31 vis Weeze or E34 via Venlo further South.

For further information on motorways in the Netherlands see here.

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} CIA - The World Factbook, January 2011 [1]
2. ↑ UN Population division 2010 [2]
3. ↑ IMF (International Monetary Fund): World Economic Outlook Database, October 2010 [3]
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus: Marktinformationen Incoming Niederlande 2011 [4]
5. ↑ UNDP Human Development Report 2010[5]
6. ↑ OECD Factbook 2010: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics [6]
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} European Commission: Flash Eurobarometer 291, March 2010: Survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards tourism [7]
8. ↑ European Commission: Flash Eurobarometer 258, March 2019: Survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards tourism [8]