Last year, 84 percent of the Dutch went on vacation. Of those holidays, which also include nights away, 44 percent were destined for the Netherlands. Due to the corona virus, fewer people are making holiday plans this year: 7.2 million compared to 11.9 in 2019.
Of those 7.2 million people, 1.8 million intend to stay in the Netherlands. And it might start to wring there.
Very expensive
“I just happened to be looking with friends to leave the Netherlands,” said Goof Lukken, a tourism teacher at Breda University. “We were looking for a bungalow or a campsite; they were either not available or very expensive.”
Not surprising, he thinks. “In any case, many Dutch people go on holiday in their own country as standard. Many people assumed that a holiday abroad would not be possible because of corona. And even now that it is possible, they think: I stay nice in the Netherlands, that gives more rest, then I’ll be home if anything. ”
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Don’t suddenly double rate
Result: demand exceeds supply, causing prices to rise. Lukken: “The last hole is being used.” Due to the corona measures, not all camping spots are available at many campsites yet, although the question is how this will be done in high season.
A spokesman for umbrella organization for camping and bungalow companies Recron cannot confirm or deny that the prices are higher this year than usual. “I can imagine that entrepreneurs want to make up for the lost holidays of this spring and that you raise the prices a bit.”
However, she does immediately add a comment. “That can be a bit, but not endless. You can’t suddenly double the camping rate. Then people won’t come again.”
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At least 1000 euros
A tour of large bungalow parks shows that there is still something to rent in the middle of the summer holidays (last week of July, first week of August, when all regions have holidays). That will cost a family of four 1000 euros for a week anyway, but soon more.
If you want to approach it in a more luxurious way, in a park in popular provinces such as Gelderland (the Veluwe) and North Holland and on the Wadden, you will lose between 1700 and 2200 euros.
Many popular campsites are already fully booked, or only have a night out here and there.
Cost that?
Do those amounts correspond somewhat to what we spend on a holiday in other years? In the annual holiday pay survey of the Nibud, half of the participants expected to spend more than 2000 euros on the longest holiday (often the summer holiday) in 2019. The other half expected to spend less.
That amount would include not only the accommodation, but also the money for the trip and for food and drink.
Higher prices
Figures (provisional) from the Central Bureau of Statistics show that the Dutch last year spending an average of 1291 euros on their vacation, both in the Netherlands and abroad. About a week’s holiday in the Netherlands cost Dutch people about 239 euros per person.
The current lowest bungalow prices fall within this, but the higher prices will not be a problem for some of the Dutch. We usually spend a lot more on a holiday abroad.
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