Visitor numbers are dramatically declining to holiday parks in a popular European country.
The Netherlands is known for its vast amount of green space, tulip fields and cycling – but despite its outdoorsy culture, tourists don’t seem to be as captivated any more.
Bookings for holiday parks are down 10 to 20 per cent this year, compared to previous, for the Easter break.
Particularly impacted areas include Limburg and Zeeland, according to BNR.
It’s thought the drop could be down to a tax increase that was introduced in January that meant VAT went from nine to 21 per cent.
Geert Dijks of trade association Hiswa Recron told the publication: ‘That is the main reason. In addition, the tourist tax also plays a role.
‘Municipalities are having a rough year and have to close that financial gap. And that means taxing the tourist, because the tourist cannot vote in the municipality where he is vacationing anyway.’
He added that as a result, bookings for holiday parks have seen such a dramatic drop in bookings that has ‘never before’ been experienced.
According to the tourism expert, German visitors have particularly decreased and he raised concerns that they could find other destinations to loyally visit each year instead.
‘If you live in Limburg, for example, you are only a fifteen-minute drive from a country with lower VAT, and that makes a big difference in terms of money,’ he explained.
The association is urging the government to reassess the VAT change and argues if holidaymakers are spending in parks, they also spend in the local village – contributing significantly to the economy.
Dijks is worried the shift in tourism levels is ‘permanent’ and not temporary like previous declines seen during the pandemic, for example.
Meanwhile in the UK, the Iran war has created a staycation boom as holidaymakers book breaks at home in huge numbers.
Last month, holiday companies reported seeing ‘similar patterns’ to the pandemic, when prices surged by up to 100 per cent, with some Brits being charged more than £1,000 for a short break.
Richard Young, CEO of selfcatering.co.uk, told the Daily Mail at the time how the holiday rental site had seen a 37 per cent rise in UK staycation searches and bookings from when the conflict began to mid-March.
He put the increase down to ‘more travellers opting for the reassurance and value of staying closer to home’.
‘Changes in global conditions and rising fuel costs can quickly shape how people approach their holiday plans and when travelling abroad becomes more expensive and feels less certain, many start to consider options closer to home,’ Richard says.
He added: ‘We saw a similar pattern during the pandemic, as well as periods of airline disruption and previous fuel price spikes.’
UK retreat specialist Together Travel echoed this, and experienced a 50 per cent year-on-year increase in interest.
‘We saw a similar pattern during the early stages of the pandemic, when international travel became more complicate,’ said managing director Laura Dubois.
She added: ‘Travellers still want a proper break, but many prefer the reassurance of staying within the UK where plans feel more predictable and easier to manage.
‘In some cases, people simply switch plans and look for somewhere closer to home where they can relax without worrying about potential disruption.’
Google searches for several spots across the UK are currently soaring compared to this time last year, suggesting holidaymakers might be looking for stays closer to home.
