In 2022, tourists in the Dutch economy spent almost 96 billion euros. This meant that spending, not adjusted for price changes, was higher than before the corona pandemic. Spending by both Dutch tourists and foreign tourists in the Netherlands increased in 2022; together they have spent 36,5 billion euros more than in 2021.
Compared to 2019, Dutch tourists in particular spent more. This is reported by Statistics Netherlands on the basis of research for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.
Tourist expenditure is the total expenditure by tourists before, during, and after the trip, and the stay at the destination.
In 2022, foreign tourists spent 34,5 billion euros. That is a growth of more than 90 percent compared to 2021, when corona measures were still in force. Foreign tourists accounted for about a third of total tourism spending. This includes the expenditure of foreign tourists who do not travel to the Netherlands, but who do spend money with Dutch companies, for example when booking hotels or flights online with a Dutch airline.
Added value of tourism will increase sharply in 2022
The added value of the tourism sector will have grown by more than 2022 percent in 66 compared to a year earlier (corrected for price changes) and amounted to almost 32 billion euros. Nevertheless, the added value was still lower than in 2019, before the corona pandemic. The added value of the tourism sector increased more than total economic growth in 2022, but the sector was also hit much harder by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Up to and including 2019, the added value of tourism grew faster than the rest of the Dutch economy.
Share in the Dutch economy is increasing
The share of tourism in the Dutch economy increased to 3,7 percent in 2022. In 2021 this was 2,5 percent. Value added grew in all branches of tourism. The hospitality and aviation, travel agencies and travel brokerage industries grew the most in 2022 compared to 2021.
Restoring employment in tourism
In 2022, employment in the tourism sector was higher than in 2021. In 2022, the number of working years in tourism increased by almost 20 percent to 452 thousand. This means that the share of tourism in total employment in 2022 will be 5,5 percent. In 2019 this was still 4,8 percent. The increase can be seen in all tourism sectors. Employment in aviation, travel agencies and travel brokers increased the most. The number of employed persons and jobs also increased in 2022. Part-time work is relatively common in tourism; the number of jobs is therefore greater than the number of employed persons.
Source and more information: www.cbs.nl