From: OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2014 Access the complete publication at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/tour-2014-en Netherlands Please cite this chapter as: OECD (2014), Netherlands, in OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2014, OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/tour-2014-29-en
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Netherlands Tourism in the economy Tourism is an important sector of the Dutch economy, accounting for 2.9% of GDP in 2012. The tourism industry (as defined in the Tourism Satellite Account) provides 413 000 jobs, 4.5% of total employment. In 2011 and 2012, inbound tourism reached a new record of 11.7 million visitors. The five leading origin markets for the Netherlands in 2012 were Germany (26% of the total), the United Kingdom (14%), Belgium (13%), the United States (8%) and France (5%). These five markets therefore contributed 66% of all international arrivals. International tourism receipts rose 4.9% in 2012 to EUR 10.7 billion. Tourism organisation and governance The Ministry of Economic Affairs is responsible for tourism policy at the national level (Figure 1). The Ministry s responsibilities include: Funding the Netherlands Bureau of Tourism and Conventions (NBTC), which is responsible for the international marketing of the Netherlands and the promotion of international conventions. Stimulating innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability the tourism industry can make use of a range of general policy instruments available within the ministry. Stimulating the synergy between nature, recreation and entrepreneurship. Acting as the first point of contact within central government for tourism industry associations and stakeholders. Figure 1. Netherlands: Organisational chart of tourism bodies Ministry of Economic Affairs Local Governments Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions Local Tourist Boards Tourism Industry Source: OECD, adapted from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, 2014. 247
Regional and local authorities are responsible for tourism policy at their respective levels, and deal with tourism matters such as: Funding regional and local destination marketing organisations which are responsible for domestic and international marketing of the regional or local destination. Product development. Tourism budgets The Ministry of Economic Affairs has a tourism budget of EUR 13.3 million for 2013. The tourism budgets of the ministry is gradually being reduced to EUR 8.3 million over the period 2012 to 2015, in line with the central government s goal to reduce overall government expenditure. The Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions (NBTC) had a budget of approximately EUR 26.3 million for 2013. In addition to the contribution of the ministry, NBTC receives funding from industry stakeholders and local and regional authorities. The ministry s tourism budget is entirely funded out of the general state budget. In the Netherlands, specific tourism taxes are only imposed at the local level, e.g. accommodation/ bednight taxes; these can be used by local authorities for both tourism-specific and general purposes. Tourism-related policies and programmes Tourism is an integral part of enterprise policy in the Netherlands, a new version of which, To the Top, The Enterprise Policy in Actions by the Ministry of Economic Affairs was presented in 2011 (Box 1). The key elements of this policy are: Fewer subsidies in return for lower taxes. Fewer, simpler rules. Greater access to corporate financing. Better access to the knowledge infrastructure for business. Better harmonisation between the requirements of businesses and fiscal, educational and diplomatic activities. A progress report Enterprise Policy: Focus and Future was presented in April 2013. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has signed an agreement with NBTC for the Holland Marketing Strategy for the period 2012-15. NBTC will endeavour to attract some 3.4 million additional visitors to the Netherlands in this period, through marketing campaigns and publicity. These visitors are forecast to spend approximately EUR 1.37 billion directly in the Netherlands. NBTC will be active in the Netherlands and in the eleven source countries that are integral to tourism to the Netherlands, and/or show strong potential for future growth. NBTC is well on track in terms of reaching its target, since 1.3 million additional visitors were generated from marketing campaigns in 2012. 248
Box 1. To the Top, the Netherlands Enterprise Policy in Actions Better regulation As of January 2013, the government had abolished more than 2 million individual annual charges for registration with the Chamber of Commerce. In 2013 the government prepared a simplification of the environmental law (omgevingsrecht). A right to challenge is being introduced, whereby companies and citizens will be entitled to offer alternatives to existing rules and regulations. A pilot study is being executed for a regulation-friendly zone, which will involve research to determine how recreation companies and government can accelerate the speed of granting permits. Businesses and government bodies in, for example, the Hotel and Restaurants and the Recreation industries work together to introduce the Company Dossier (Ondernemingsdossier) in order to reduce the regulatory burden. The government works on the reduction of compliance costs for companies. Better financing for SMEs and innovative enterprise The government will make available funding of up to a maximum of EUR 400 million per annum for the new business loan guarantee scheme (garantieregeling voor ondernemingsfinanciering, GO). The ceiling for microcredit is raised from EUR 35 000 to EUR 150 000. Statistical profile Table 1. Netherlands: Domestic tourism Unit 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total domestic trips.......... Overnight visitors (tourists) Thousand 17 450 17 959 17 708 17 740 18 120 Same-day visitors (excursionists).......... Trips by main purpose of visit Business and professional.......... Holiday, leisure and recreation.......... Nights in all means of accommodation Thousand 91 830 93 800 94 000 91 760 91 960 Hotels and similar establishments.......... Other collective establishments.......... Domestic travel receipts.......... 1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932988278 249
Table 2. Netherlands: Inbound tourism Unit 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total international arrivals Thousand 10 104 9 921 10 883 11 300 11 680 Overnight visitors (tourists).......... Same-day visitors (excursionists).......... Top markets Germany Thousand 2 669 2 744 2 848 2 978 3 010 United Kingdom Thousand 1 639 1 409 1 556 1 508 1 614 Belgium Thousand 1 109 1 172 1 257 1 345 1 462 United States Thousand 1 068 1 018 1 223 1 320 1 323 France Thousand 575 574 669 666 642 Nights in all means of accommodation.......... Hotels and similar establishments.......... Other collective establishments.......... Total international receipts.......... International travel receipts Million EUR 9 072 8 867 9 718 10 308 10 697 International passenger transport receipts.......... 1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932988297 Table 3. Netherlands: Outbound tourism Unit 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total international departures.......... Overnight visitors (tourists) Thousand 18 458 18 408 18 430 18 560 18 628 Same-day visitors (excursionists).......... Total international expenditure.......... International travel expenditure Million EUR 12 555 12 321 12 212 12 402 12 886 International passenger transport expenditure.......... 1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932988316 Table 4. Netherlands: Employment in tourism Thousand jobs 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total tourism employment (direct) 250 247 250 254 p 255 p Tourism industries.......... Accommodation services for visitors.......... Hotels and similar establishments 1 31........ Food and beverage serving industry 2.......... Passenger transport.......... Air passenger transport.......... Railways passenger transport.......... Road passenger transport.......... Water passenger transport.......... Passenger transport supporting services.......... Transport equipment rental.......... Travel agencies and other reservation services industry.......... Cultural industry.......... Sports and recreation industry.......... Retail trade of country-specific tourism characteristic goods.......... Other country-specific tourism industries.......... Other industries.......... Gender breakdown Male (% of total tourism employment).......... Female (% of total tourism employment).......... Note: Full-time equivalent. 1. Hotels. 2. Restaurants. 1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932988335 250
Table 5. Netherlands: Internal tourism consumption Million EUR, 2010 Domestic tourism consumption Inbound tourism consumption Internal tourism consumption Total 1 24 037 7 356 31 393 Consumption products...... Tourism characteristic products...... Accommodation services for visitors 1 811 855 2 666 Food and beverage serving services 8 178 935 9 113 Passenger transport services 3 772 1 310 5 082 Air passenger transport services...... Railways passenger transport services...... Road passenger transport services...... Water passenger transport services...... Passenger transport supporting services...... Transport equipment rental services...... Travel agencies and other reservation services 997 1 998 Cultural services 1 285 213 1 498 Sports and recreation services 2 2 148 98 2 246 Country-specific tourism characteristic goods...... Country-specific tourism characteristic services...... Other consumption products 4 312 3 349 7 661 Tourism connected products...... Non-tourism related consumption products...... Non-consumption products...... 1. Includes Value Added Tax. 2. Includes recreation and other entertainment services. Source: Statistics Netherlands, Tourism Satellite Account. 1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932988354 Table 6. Netherlands: Key economic indicators Percentage 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Tourism GDP (direct) as % of total GDP 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.8 p 2.9 p Total tourism employment (direct) as % of total employment 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.8 p 3.8 p 1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932988373 For more information Ministry of Economic Affairs Netherlands National Tourist Office Statistics Netherlands www.government.nl www.holland.com www.cbs.nl 251