Netherlands - Facts and Insights September 2011

Transcription

1 Netherlands - Facts and Insights September 2011 Key Facts* GDP Market population Outbound Travel Market Size UK s share of Dutch outbound market Scotland s visitors from the Netherlands Internet Access (*various sources) GDP growth forecast % (OECD) 16.8 million (2010, VisitBritain) 27 million (2009, VisitBritain) 6.3% (2009, VisitBritain) 135,000 (trips 2010, International Passenger Survey (IPS)) 89% population penetration (VisitBritain) 15 million internet users in June 2010 (VisitBritain) Key Facts on the General Dutch Traveller Dutch see travelling and holidays as a core value of life - not a luxury Over 80% of the population taking holidays Domestic holidays tend to be shorter (over half under 5 days), outbound holidays tend to be longer (half over 9 days) Rest / recreation, sun & beach and visiting friends and relatives are key factors influencing their holiday choice. Nature is also a bigger influence than in many other EU countries. Hobbies are important aspects of Dutch life and this corresponds with a growing popularity of themed holidays (like cultural, hiking or cycling holidays) Younger Dutch travellers are especially interested in active and adventurous holidays 75% of Dutch speak some English - 46% are fluent Dutch outbound travel market and trends The Netherlands are the world s tenth most valuable outbound source market worth almost US$21bn. Outbound travel from the Netherlands has increased from 26.2 million in 2000, to 27.0 million in 2009 (UNWTO 2009). In 2009, 18m domestic holidays were taken, compared to 18.3m outbound holidays (CVO 2009). The top five Dutch outbound destinations were France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the UK (Tourism Economics). 1

2 Weather is often cited as a key reason for holidaying abroad, which explains the popularity of beach holidays, but the Dutch also like to go on city breaks (VisitBritain Market Profile 2010). Overview - Dutch Market to UK (IPS, 2010) Total visits to UK: 1,758,000 Visits by purpose: 39% holiday, 25% VFR, 28% business Total nights to UK: 7,870,000 Total Spend in UK: 717m Top Towns Visited: London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol Average Length of Stay: 4.5 nights Average spend per day: 91 Average spend per visit: 408 Key Areas Dutch visitors to UK reside: Noord Holland, Zuid Holland, Noord Brabant, Utrecht Activities that Dutch visitors like to participate in when on holiday in the UK were eating in restaurants, shopping for clothes / accessories, going to a pub, sightseeing famous monuments / buildings, socialising with the locals, and shopping for souvenirs. Research in 2011 with VisitScotland s Dutch database highlighted the top 4 reasons/motivations for Dutch consumers to go on holiday: To relax To explore beautiful landscapes To learn about other countries and their way of life To discover new places VisitScotland research also found that the top 3 types of holiday often undertaken by Dutch holidaymakers abroad were: Touring around a country by car sightseeing and stopping when I want A short break visit to a particular city A holiday mixing countryside and city Scotland s Visitors from the Netherlands Trend Data (International Passenger Survey) Market: Netherlands Total Visits (000s) Total Nights (000s) ,028 1, Total Spend ( m)

3 In 2010, the Netherlands was Scotland s seventh largest international market in terms of volume and ninth largest in terms of spend (IPS, 2010), taking 135,000 visits to Scotland, 834,000 bed nights and spending 63m. Whilst visits were slightly down on 2009 figures, spend and nights were up. Dutch Visits to Scotland by Purpose (IPS, 2010) Visits % Holiday 83,000 62% VFR 22,000 16% Business 26,000 19% Other 4,000 3% Total 135, % Looking at the trend since 2002, business visits have experienced a peak in 2009 followed by a sharp decline in Holiday visits remained stable between 2002 and 2006, and then increased rapidly in was the best year in terms of visitor numbers for holidays yet. VFR visits have been declining since 2007 and are now roughly at 2005 level (IPS ). The average length of stay was 6 nights (IPS 2010) Average spend per night was 76 and average spend per trip 467 (IPS 2010) Visitor Profile Dutch visitors to Scotland are typically well-educated, well-off couples with an interest in culture, environment and nature/wildlife. Dutch Visitor to Scotland By Age (IPS, 2010) % of visits % % % % % % 65+ 7% Overall, 26% between 16 and % between 35 and % over 55. Dutch Visitor to Scotland By Mode of Travel (IPS, 2010) Travel Mode 73% by air 24% by sea 2% by Channel tunnel 3

4 Dutch Visitor to Scotland by Duration of Stay (IPS, 2010) % of visits 1-3 nights 39% 4-7 nights 33% 8-14 nights 17% 15+ nights 12% Popular trip types with Dutch visitors are touring, activity based breaks i.e. hiking and to a lesser extent, city breaks. Areas popular with Dutch visitors included the Highlands & Skye, Edinburgh City, Loch Lomond & the Trossachs and Glasgow city. In terms of accommodation, Dutch visitors show a distinct preference for camping which sets them apart from other nationalities. Hotels and B&B / Guest Houses are also popular. In terms of activities participated in, VisitScotland research with the Dutch database shows that the following activities topped the list: Walking 79% Visiting historic sites 73% Visiting cities 70% Visiting castles / stately homes 68% Eating & drinking in pubs / restaurants 67% The summer and late Spring months (May-September) were popular months for visiting, with August being the most popular month. Perceptions of Scotland as a Holiday Destination Dutch holidaymakers are motivated to visit Scotland by its scenery and natural beauty. They are seeking an authentic, natural experience and enjoy walking/ hiking and outdoor activities in general, visiting cultural attractions and exploring the landscape. According to results from VisitScotland s Visitor Experience study 2008, the top reasons for choosing Scotland as a holiday destination were: The scenery (74% stated this was very important to them) Number of things to see & do Nature & wildlife Culture & traditions Opportunity for outdoor activities According to the study, when asked about what could be improved Dutch visitors cited better value for money, more interaction with local people, and transport. Asked about their holiday highlights, Dutch visitors who took part in the Visitor Experience study 2008 mentioned the following: Visiting the Island Kerrera, hardly anybody lives there. There's just a little tea room. It's beautiful 4

5 Cawdor Castle, it's a castle, a garden and you can walk around the estate, a fantastic combination Arran. Seeing a golden eagle and a wild deer two steps in front of me. Seeing and smelling nature Skye: the countryside and the water. The fog hanging over it. Very impressive views. A tiny place in the middle of nowhere where we had planned to stay one night and actually ended up staying 4 days. There was only one house and the people that lived there really made us feel at home. We went everywhere with them. The Edinburgh Festival, visiting the Hebrides. The countryside was stunning, you could go wherever you wanted to go Ben Nevis. It's a real kick to climb the highest mountain in the UK. We were quite tired but very happy that we did it What we didn't expect was a local dance evening. The locals invited us along to dance with them Sitting and eating fish and chips in St Andrews... Great. Just watching the beach and cliffs. It was lovely Planning & Booking In general, the internet is really the main vehicle for the Dutch to plan and book their holidays. With 89% of internet penetration, the vast majority of the Dutch population has access to the web and as a result, over 50% of Dutch travellers book their holidays online. Only a small percentage (13%) will use a travel agency - usually as a last resort if there s no other option (VB 2010). Reading reviews is also becoming popular among Dutch travellers, with the most visited websites being vakantiereiswijzer.nl vakantieadvies and Tripadvisor. Looking at Scotland specifically, it should come as no surprise that 70% used the internet when planning their holiday (which was also generally quoted as the most useful source), followed by travel guide books (42%) and, with some distance, recommendations from friends / relatives (9%). Travel agents (5%) and travel brochures (4%) were used seldom. Dutch visitors spend some time planning their holiday in Scotland. According to the Visitor Experience study from 2008, almost two-thirds had started planning 4 months prior to their trip, while two months before, 77% had begun planning. Only 14% planned their trip in a spontaneous manner, 14 days before they departed. According to research with VisitScotland s Dutch database in 2007, holidays were booked an average of 3.3 months before departure, and planned an average of 4.9 months before departure. 5

6 Impacts of the Current Economic Climate on Holiday Plans The Dutch economy is making a slow but steady recovery from the economic crisis. However, since holidays are seen as a necessity rather than luxury, Dutch holidaymakers have shown a very resilient attitude even in tough economic times. For example, only 10% of Dutch said they were not planning some type of holiday in 2010 (VisitBritain 2010). Research undertaken with VisitScotland s Dutch customers in 2011 confirmed this positive outlook; the majority of respondents expected either to spend the same amount on holidays and short breaks in the next 12 months, or more. Future Holiday/Short Break Expenditure Expect to spend the same 57% Expect to spend much more 5% Expect to spend a little more 22% Expect to spend a lot less 3% Expect to spend a little less 13% Q Now thinking about future holidays and short breaks in general. Compared to the last 12 months, how much do you expect to spend on holidays and short breaks in the next 12 months? VisitScotland Marketing Strategy Scotland is an ideal destination for a touring holiday, providing a variety of experiences through its unique culture and heritage, dramatic landscape and the welcome of a friendly and spirited people. VisitScotland s International Marketing team will continue to promote Scotland as a quality destination offering good value for money, giving maximum exposure to good value deals will see the continuation of International Marketing s flagship Scotland. Welcome to our Life a Pan- European Touring Campaign for the Dutch, French and German markets, featuring a Meet the Scots theme - a group of people whose lives and work link to key Scottish tourism themes. For more information please visit the VisitScotland consumer website: For more information on the Meet the Scots campaign please visit: 6

7 Tips for the Business - How to Use this Information The scenery and nature/wildlife were important motivators for your Dutch customers when they decided to visit Scotland. What does your local area offer in these respects? Are there any particularly scenic spots and walks that you could recommend? Are there any local companies offering wildlife experiences / tours which might be of interest? As Dutch visitors are particularly keen on deals, maybe there are also some other free activities you can suggest - for example, visiting a local nature reserve where certain species can be seen. There is also plenty of information available on the VisitScotland Wildlife website In order to make the most of their holiday, Dutch visitors may need some help with their itinerary planning. Activities such as walking, visiting castles / stately homes and historic sites, as well as eating and drinking in pubs / restaurants are included in most Dutch visits. Maybe you can think of which places / experiences you can recommend which tick these boxes in your local area. And there are also the VisitScotland Information Centres where your visitors can get a lot of information for their trip. Contact details for all VICs are available here: Your Dutch visitors are interested in Scottish culture and traditions. Why not suggest local events or festivals, including traditional music sessions you know of, to them - this is an ideal opportunity for them to learn about another way of life, which is something they value when on holiday abroad. Other local attractions which they may be interested in include local markets or farmers markets, and arts and crafts fairs Dutch customers are very interested in saving money and good deals. Can you offer any suggestions to them? Maybe you ve heard of a restaurant offering a good lunch / dinner deal in your local area, or can suggest other ways for them to maximise their budget, for example pointing them to free attractions, or suggesting offers such as the Edinburgh Pass. Walking is the top activity for Dutch visitors when in Scotland. Are there any local walks you can recommend to them? They might want to leave early in the morning to start a particular walk, and may appreciate a packed lunch or early breakfast if this was available. Outdoor activities are also very popular, and a list of local companies offering adventure sports might be appreciated by them. To get involved in VisitScotland market campaigns with the Dutch market, please visit our marketing opportunities website Links VisitBritain Market Profiles Information is taken from the Office for National Statistics, International Passenger Survey data. Figures for a number of regions are based on small sample sizes. It is not recommended to use data where the sample size is less than 30 - where possible small sample sizes have been highlighted in the summary. 7

8 Sources ONS International Passenger Survey VisitBritain VistScotland Research CVO Disclaimer VisitScotland has published this report in good faith to update stakeholders on its activity. VisitScotland has taken all reasonable steps to confirm the information contained in the publication is correct. However, VisitScotland does nor warrant or assume any legal liability for the accuracy of any information disclosed and accepts no responsibility for any error or omissions. Contact Us Details Date: