For 46 years, NRIT has been monitoring the broader recreation sector and publishing developments in the annual Trend Report on Tourism, Recreation, and Leisure. The data and figures in this edition primarily pertain to 2024; another record year for Dutch tourism. Regular accommodations welcomed 51 million guests, 12% more than in 2019, when 46 million guests were counted. It also notes that international tourism has recovered unexpectedly quickly from the pandemic.
The key insights
- Ageing and growth put pressure on leisure time and work: in 2040, a quarter of the Dutch population will be 65+, while households will continue to fragment.
- International tourism recovered unexpectedly quickly: Asia in particular is lagging behind pre-pandemic levels, but tourism records are being broken in the EU.
- The quality of life: is under pressure at various tourist hotspots. This problem urgently requires a solution.
- Strong tourist demand: The Netherlands expects approximately 61 million overnight guests, 24% more than in 2023.
- Domestic stabilizes, incoming growsDomestic holidays are declining slightly, while the international market is actually picking up.
- Hotels and holiday parks extra busy: The Dutch hotel market has grown by a fifth since the pandemic, and holiday parks welcomed 3 million additional guests, who spent 12 million additional overnight stays in the Netherlands.
- Attractions and recreationLarge parks are stabilizing or shrinking slightly; small theme parks are growing significantly. Cinemas and museums are still lagging behind.
- MobilityAviation has fully recovered, but rail remains stuck at a low share, which is a bottleneck for sustainability goals.
- Tourism economy: the sector supplies the Netherlands €111 billion up and 771.000 jobs, almost back to pre-pandemic levels.
Part 1 focuses on environmental factors such as demography, economy, socio-cultural technology, sustainability, and tourism (globally, in Europe, and in the Netherlands).
Part 2 then provides an analysis of various domains within the recreation sector: hospitality, residential recreation, travel industry, day attractions and active recreation.
Part 3 delves into a capita selecta of topics in more detail:
- Auditory inclusion in day attractions – How simple adjustments improve the experience for the hearing impaired.
- Kaya Kaya Festival – Placemaking as a driver for urban transformation in Otrobanda, Curaçao.
- The double paradox of experiencing nature – Why experiencing more nature doesn't always mean more support for nature.
- Future-proof lodging sector – Strategic choices for a resilient accommodation sector.
- Entrepreneurial ecosystems – Innovation and multiple value creation through new forms of collaboration.
- Dynamic careers in the sector – From ladder to climbing wall as a new organizational principle.
- Street culture & sports – How urban culture provides a breeding ground for vital and creative cities.
- From sustainable to regenerative tourism – Approaching destinations as living systems.
The 2026 Trend Report is available through NRIT and provides access to both the physical report and the online trend environment.
More information: NRIT Store: Tourism, Recreation and Leisure Trend Report