Amsterdam, Netherlands: In 2021, the gross value added to the tourism sector grew by 13.1 per cent year on year (adjusted for price changes) and stood at 19 billion euros. This means that the sector recovered partially from the strong decline in 2020. Both domestic and foreign tourism expenditure recovered only slightly in 2021. This is reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) in an article on developments in the tourism sector throughout the coronavirus pandemic, on the basis of research commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.
As the value added to the tourism sector in 2021 grew more rapidly than the Dutch economy as a whole, the share of tourism in the Dutch economy rose slightly, from 2.3 to 2.5 per cent. This share was still 4.4 per cent in 2019. Nevertheless, the value-added did not increase in all tourism-related sectors. Especially the tourism-oriented parts of accommodation and food services, aviation, travel agencies and travel services showed a sharp recovery last year. In the art and culture sector, however, value-added dropped even further than in 2020, the first pandemic year.
Mainly domestic tourism
In 2021, domestic and foreign tourists combined spent 5.7 billion euros more than in 2020, but still 31.9 billion euros less compared to 2019. The partial recovery mainly came from domestic tourism, which includes both domestic spending by Dutch tourists and trips abroad booked by Dutch tourists with Dutch travel companies. Inbound foreign tourism also yielded more revenue.
The recovery of the tourism sector went hand in hand with the relaxation of the coronavirus measures. In the first few months of 2021, a strict lockdown was still in place, but the various measures against the spread of COVID-19 were relaxed over the course of the year.
In 2020, tourist expenditure (adjusted for price changes) fell by 42.2 per cent relative to 2019, which eliminated the growth of the preceding ten years within a short period of time. Despite partial recovery (6.0 per cent), in 2021 tourist expenditure was still below the level of 2010, even after adjustment for price changes.
17.8 billion euros from inbound tourism
In 2021, spending by foreign incoming tourists amounted to 17.8 billion euros. This spending concerns not only foreign visitors but also foreign tourists booking trips outside the Netherlands using Dutch providers. Despite an increase of 2.1 billion euros relative to 2020, in 2021 these revenues were still far below the pre-COVID level. In 2019, foreign tourist spending within the Dutch economy still amounted to 34.7 billion euros, nearly twice as much as in 2021. The share held by foreign tourists amounted to 29.6 per cent in 2020 and 30.2 per cent in 2021. In the period 2010 to 2019 inclusive, this share had risen from 25.0 to 38.2 per cent.
Dutch tourist expenditure abroad slightly recovered
In 2021, just as in 2020, there was significantly less travel abroad by Dutch tourists compared to the pre-pandemic years. Various measures were in place which restricted travel abroad in both years. Spending by Dutch tourists outside the Dutch economy amounted to 7.5 billion euros in 2021. Adjusted for price changes, this is 60.4 per cent below the level of 2019.
Tourism employment further down
Whereas value-added and expenditure picked up again after the steep decline in the first pandemic year, tourism employment continued to decline in 2021. The labour volume in the tourism sector decreased by 4.3 per cent. This was mainly seen in accommodation and food services, aviation, travel agencies and travel services. Thanks to government support measures, employment fell much less substantially than tourism expenditure and value-added. A part of the staff who kept on thanks to waging support in 2020 possibly still left in 2021, reducing tourism employment further.
