“Five million Dutch will stay at home this summer” Inland

NBTC-NIPO conducted large-scale research into our holiday plans for trips of a week or more in the period from May to September 2020.

The travel restrictions and uncertainties due to the corona crisis have a huge impact on what we want to do this summer vacation, the poll said. “In many cases there is a desire to let the holiday continue at a later time, so postponement is not necessarily a cancellation,” concludes Marieke Politiek, director of NBTC-NIPO Research.

More than three-quarters of all Dutch people say that the corona crisis has a major impact on the holiday plans this summer. Especially there is doubt about a (flight) trip abroad.

“Run on trips”

According to holiday catcher Isabel Mosk, the results of this research have already been outdated by current events. “The positive message from the government on Wednesday evening will trigger a run particularly on trips in their own country. I do not think that five million Dutch will stay at home, once everything is reasonably open again in the Netherlands. You can already see that in the sharp rise in bookings for the high season. People want to secure the desired house, hotel, holiday park or that quiet campsite, now that it is becoming increasingly clear that things are gradually going in the right direction. ”

According to the NBTC, of ​​the more than seven million Dutch people who have holiday plans this summer, approximately two million indicate that they remain in their own country, a third less than in 2019. About five million still have holiday plans abroad, almost half less than last summer. but will continue to travel by car, particularly in neighboring countries, France and Austria. Some want to sunbathe on the Mediterranean. Far countries will remain out of the picture for the time being.

Mosk argues that if the investigation were to be held now, very different percentages would roll out. “The opinion of the Dutch about going on vacation changes every week. Everyone is eager. If possible and if possible, we will go out, even if it is last-minute ”, she says.

“The holiday is very important to the Dutch,” Politics agrees. According to her, the search for a safe destination for many tourists is paramount to stay healthy.

Can we go on holiday abroad this summer? Reporter Paul Eldering knows which destinations are within reach. Listen to the podcast corona update here.

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