After 2 years of forced break due to Corona, the Dutch are again ready for a foreign summer sun holiday. This is apparent from GfK's annual measurement commissioned by the travel industry organization ANVR. Corona, the war in Ukraine, the problems at Schiphol, inflation and even a slightly higher price for the holiday: it has very little influence on holiday plans for a large majority this year. However, the increase in the number of car holidays is continuing at the expense of flying holidays and travelers are booking shorter before departure.
Flying remains the most popular, but car holidays are on the rise
The Dutch are going for a summer beach holiday this year. Nearly 4 in 10 travelers now opt for this. This is especially at the expense of touring holidays. With almost €2000, the holiday may well cost something, because no less than 12% more is spent on the booked holiday than last year. The plane remains the most booked mode of transport, but own transport (car) is becoming increasingly popular.
Almost 4 out of 10 now pick up the car to go on holiday. This also affects what exactly is booked: approximately 30% therefore only arranges the stay in advance. The main reason to book the trip and accommodation in one package is because of its convenience. Those who prefer to put together the trip themselves do so mainly because they like it and think they are more flexible.
Customer books shorter before departure
Another development is that in 2022 travelers will book their trip much shorter before departure. More than 30% book the holiday less than 2 months in advance. This is significantly higher than in 2021, but also compared to 2019 (25%).
More than 4 in 10 travelers intend to book a foreign holiday before the summer, especially summer beach holidays or city trips (both 29%). By the way, the figures are from May/June. Some of this group will therefore have already booked.
For 3/4 of the recent bookers, Corona no longer influences their booking behaviour. 15% of the rest do travel, but prefer to stay closer to home. The war in Ukraine also has no influence on the holiday for 2/3 of the travelers. The rest adjust the holiday slightly; only 1% indicate that they do not go on holiday at all for this reason.
Rising prices hardly affect holiday behaviour
The Netherlands spends considerably more on their booked holiday and more than half indicate that the current price increases in daily life have no influence on the summer holiday. For the rest, however, it does lead to an adjustment of the holiday: by going closer to home, less luxurious or shorter. Only 1 in 10 bookers has doubts about going on holiday this year.
Problems Schiphol
Nearly a quarter of the Dutch indicated in May that they were looking for alternatives to the problems at Schiphol, such as booking through another airport (11%), a holiday by car (8%) or a holiday in the Netherlands (5%). according to the ANVR.
