France has been the most popular summer holiday destination among the Dutch for many years. The southern European countries are also popular. Most Dutch people book accommodation in advance (84%). A minority does not book in advance. They set off and see where they end up (12%). And then there is a small minority (4%) who travel to their own summer house or caravan at a permanent location. The majority of the Dutch go on holiday by car or plane. The number of car holidays decreases a little every year. More and more people are taking the plane. The average number of nights per holidaymaker is 12 and the average money we spend per person is 831 euros. Check themotorcyclers for list of world’s ten least visited countries.
10. United States (3%)
The only non-European country in this top 10 is the United States. It is therefore the most popular holiday destination outside Europe for us Dutch people (in the summer). The United States is a huge country in North America. It features many major western cities. New York and Los Angeles in particular are popular holiday destinations. The United States is also rich in vast nature (the wild west) with famous plains, rivers and mountains, such as the Rocky Mountains. Here people tour around with a car or camper. You can also go to the United States for sun, sea and sand, for example on the Hawaiian archipelago.
Are you one of those Dutch people who go on holiday to America? Then don’t forget to apply for an ESTA travel authorization in advance. As Dutch citizens, we fall under the “Visa Waiver Program”, so a visa is not necessary, but applying for an ESTA America is necessary and must be arranged no later than 72 hours before departure.
9. Great Britain (3.5%)
Great Britain includes England, Scotland and Wales. The country is located to the west of our country, on the other side of the North Sea. Well-known cities here are London , Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool. But in addition to these ancient cities, Britain also has beautiful nature to offer, such as the rugged coasts of southern England, the Scottish Highlands and the western Hebrides archipelago.
8. Belgium (4%)
Belgium, the land of the soft G, Flemish fries, bonbons and Manneken Pis. People go here because it is nice and close, but still slightly different from the Netherlands. There are beautiful old cities here, such as Brussels , Antwerp , Ghent , Bruges and Liège . And it has the North Sea for a beach holiday and the Ardennes for an active walking / cycling holiday.
7. Austria (5%)
The most popular destination in Austria is the western region of Tyrol. Here people celebrate their holidays in the typical Austrian white houses with brown roofs and balconies. The rest of Austria is also rich in mountains (sometimes with peaks covered with snow). You can go for a lovely walk here and enjoy beautiful views. The mountain roads are passable (and well maintained). Austria also has many mountain lakes and picturesque cities, including the capital Vienna .
6. Turkey (6%)
Because Turkey is located very south of Europe, it is wonderfully sunny in the summer. Most people in Turkey opt for a flight holiday with an accommodation. Turkey has many large popular seaside resorts on the south coast, such as Alanya, Antalya, Marmaris and Bodrum. These places are geared to mass tourism: there are many hotels with swimming pools and there are plenty of entertainment options. But Turkey also has quieter places where you can enjoy the sun, sea and beach. Istanbul is also popular among holidaymakers. This city is located in the extreme northwest of the country.
5. Greece (6.5%)
The European country best known for its many islands is Greece . Crete, Rhodes, Corfu and Kos are the best known, but there are many more where you can book your (all inclusive) flight holiday to. On the islands you will find beautiful white beaches, clear blue water and picturesque villages with light-colored buildings. Greece is also rich in history. You will find this especially in the old city of Athens. In addition to Athens, the coastal city of Thessaloniki is also a popular destination on the mainland of Greece.
4. Italy (8%)
The boot of Europe, that is of course Italy. This is the land of pizza, pasta and ice cream. But besides good food, the country has much more to offer. It has a huge coastline with many islands, mountains, lakes, volcanoes and beautiful old towns. From north to south it has the following popular destinations: Lake Garda (South Tyrol), the hilly landscape of Tuscany, Venice , the island of Sardinia, Rome and the southern island of Sicily (the football) with the world-famous Etna volcano . And then there are many more beautiful old cities, such as the northern Milan , Turin, Genoa and Florence. Naples, which is located just south of Rome, is also popular with tourists. The eastern coastal city of Rimini is themost popular destination among young people .
3. Spain (12%)
People generally go to Spain for sun, sea and sand. On the east coast are the famous Costa Brava, Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol with popular resorts such as Salou, L’oret da Mar and Benidorm. All rich in large-scale accommodations and entertainment, very popular with young people. But you can also visit the Spanish coast for beautiful cities and history. Here are located from north to south Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga. The latter is located in the popular green area of Andalusia, the south of Spain, which also includes the famous city of Seville. The Spanish islands of Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca to the east are also popular. And then you also have the Canary archipelago for the faraway holidays, which is located much further south (next to Morocco) with Tenerife, Las Palmas and Cran Canaria, among others.
2. Germany (13.5%)
Our eastern neighbor has a lot to offer and is nice and close to home, easy to do by car. The German language is also mastered by many Dutch people. In short, a great vacation spot. First of all, it has the North Sea with a number of islands for a beach holiday. But most go to Germany for the old cities and for the hilly, river-rich nature. For example, it features the cities of Berlin , Cologne, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Munich . The most popular areas are North Rhine-Westphalia (bordering the Netherlands), mountainous Bavaria (southern, bordering Austria), hilly Sauerland, the Moselle region and the Black Forest (southern, bordering Switzerland).
1. France (18.5%)
People go to this country for different reasons. The distance is not great. And the sun often shines, especially in the south. You can go here for a sun holiday by the sea, for an active hiking or cycling holiday in the mountains, for a city trip or for a visit to Euro Disneyland. The country has many seaside resorts, including famous old cities such as Nice, Bordeaux, Marseille, La Rochelle, Montpellier and Monaco. But other coastal towns are also popular, such as the southern Biarritz. In Normandy (north) you will find a cliff coast, in Brittany (centre) rugged rocks and on the Atlantic coast and the coast of the Languedoc (southwest) long sandy beaches and islands, including Corsica (near Italy). France has several mountainous regions, the most famous being the Alpine region. Here you will find Mont Blanc, one of the highest mountains in Europe. The southern mountain area, the Pyrenees (on the border with Spain) is also popular. In Northern France you can also go for mountains, slightly less high are the mountains of the Ardennes. The interior has much more to offer, it is bursting with National Parks with beautiful forests, lakes and rivers. And then, of course, there’s themetropolis Paris , the city of love , full of splendor. Euro Disneyland is located near Paris. This huge amusement park is also well visited by tourists in the summer.