ANP
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 17:59
The extreme heat and forest fires in Southern Europe last summer do not seem to deter Dutch holidaymakers. Large travel organizations are seeing an increase in the number of bookings to the beaches of Spain, Italy and Greece.
While it is still the middle of winter, many Dutch people have started the new year by planning their summer holidays. “It seems that the need to travel to sunny destinations is even higher this year than in 2023,” says Sunweb. Industry peer TUI sees that sun destinations such as Spain, Greece and Turkey remain popular, although bookings for August have been slightly lower so far. According to TUI, this may also be due to the higher prices in that month.
Last year’s extreme weather conditions seem to have been partly forgotten. 39 percent of people say the chance of this will be influenced by the holiday destination, reported the Dutch Board of Tourism and Conventions (NBTC) this week. In August that was still 45 percent.
Last year, Patrick Eversen was at a campsite near Lake Garda in Italy with his family. It was very warm, with temperatures above 35 degrees. “If it gets this hot here every time, then we might go to other places where it is a little less warm,” he said at the time. The next summer holiday has not yet been determined, but it will probably be Italy again. “You’ll survive the heat,” he says now. “Better that than three weeks at a campsite in the Netherlands with rain.”
It will be a different destination than Lake Garda, although that is not due to the heat. On their last day of vacation they were surprised by a hail storm. Their car was badly damaged and had to be replaced. “Had we not had the hail, we might have decided to go to Lake Garda again.”
Camping guests near Lake Garda in Italy were surprised by huge hailstones last year:
Camping guests on Lake Garda attacked by enormous hailstones
The NBTC research also shows that more Dutch people are planning to travel this year, around 85 percent. Last year it was 79 percent. This can also be seen at the holiday fair in Utrecht. “We are looking for the heat, it is cold here, especially now,” say two visitors.
Travel industry association ANVR also hears from its members that bookings are in full swing, including to Southern Europe, where it was so warm last year. “I think people have quickly forgotten that,” says Hanita van der Meer of the ANVR. She also notices that due to the heavy rain in recent months and the disappointing summer, people still choose a warm holiday destination, even if it exceeds 35 degrees there. “They then accept that extra temperature,” says Van der Meer.
Holiday in your own country
The number of people with holiday plans in the Netherlands is lower than last year. At the holiday fair it is mainly families with young children who do not venture too far. “It’s the first time for us to go on holiday during the season, so we won’t go to southern Italy, it’s too hot,” says a woman with her baby in the baby carrier. “Especially for this one, we’re staying a little closer to home.” 20 percent say they will go on holiday in their own country. Last year this was still 27 percent.
2024-01-11 16:59:28
#degrees #Italy #gamble #good #weather #Netherlands
