Statistics Netherlands (CBS) has looked at the spending pattern of foreigners in the Netherlands. This showed that Germans spend by far the most money in the Netherlands during their holiday or business trip in the third quarter of 2024. This is reported by CBS based on new figures on international trade in services.
In the third quarter of 2024, foreign tourists and business travellers spent more than 6,7 billion euros on goods and services during their visit to the Netherlands, approximately a quarter of which was during business trips.
German travelers spent the most money here: 46 percent of total traveler spending. Belgium and the United Kingdom followed with 11 and 5 percent respectively. The top ten nationalities that spent the most are mainly Europeans. The only exception in this list are travelers from the United States.
Travel important for Dutch service trade
Total outbound travel has been increasing since the corona dip in 2020 and reached its highest value in the third quarter of 2024 since measurements started in 2014. In the first three quarters of 2024, travel was one of the five most important types of services within the total international trade in services. This was also the case in the same period a year earlier. Travel accounts for 9 percent of total Dutch imports of services (= Dutch people travelling abroad) and 7 percent of Dutch exports of services (= incoming visitors).
Dutch travelers spent the most in Germany in summer 2024
Dutch holidaymakers, day trippers and business travellers spent more than 2024 billion euros on goods and services abroad in the third quarter of 8,7, of which 92 percent was private spending. They spent the most money in Germany, France and Spain.
Expenditure on goods or services by Dutch travellers during their stay abroad, outgoing travel, is regarded as import of services.
Dutch travellers spent the most money in Germany in the summer months of 2024, just like in previous years. In the third quarter of 2024, Dutch people spent 14 percent of their total travel expenditure in Germany. France and Spain are in second and third place. The top ten countries where Dutch people spent money in the third quarter of 2024 are all in Europe, except for the United States. Spending in these ten countries together accounted for 74 percent of total expenditure by Dutch travellers.
More information: CBS.nl