Prijsvrij Vakanties sees that the Dutch have opted considerably more often for a boutique hotel this summer, i.e. a small-scale hotel with fewer than 100 rooms. After a period of no or limited vacation, we were finally able to go out again this summer – largely – without restrictions. And the Netherlands certainly did. But in a slightly different way, according to booking data from the travel organization. “Not surprising after a fierce period in which watching over public health turned out to be more important than ever,” explains Joep Kelder, Online Marketing & Sales Director of Prijsvrij Vakanties.
The number of holidaymakers who stayed in a boutique hotel this summer has more than doubled compared to 2019, the year before the corona crisis broke out. To be precise, the demand for small-scale accommodations increased by no less than 113%. The reason for this is simple, according to Joep Kelder: “Travelers choose a small-scale hotel to avoid the crowd. The atmosphere is intimate and the staff pays extra attention to hygiene and service. As a result of COVID-19, that is what makes many people feel safe on holiday.”
There has been a clear shift in the popularity of holiday destinations this summer. Compared to 2019, Malta and Turkey are the newcomers in the top destinations. Turkey is becoming increasingly popular for an all-inclusive summer holiday and Malta is popular for small-scale hotels. Remarkably many holidaymakers managed to find these destinations during the summer holidays. This can be traced back to the preference for the type of hotels. Greece also stands out among the small-scale accommodations due to the significant share in bookings. This can be explained logically by the large number of boutique hotels on the Greek islands, according to de travel company.
"There is no question that we are eager to discover the world again, according to the booking data. We see that the Dutch dared to travel outside Europe again last summer. Last year people were still somewhat reluctant to travel outside the European borders. , there has been an explosive 340% increase in the number of long-haul trips this year.”
