Higher room occupancy rates for hotels

In the first six months of 2006, the daily number of guests in Dutch hotels averaged 82.5 thousand, as against over 70 thousand three years ago. The daily number of guests in recreational accommodations (camping sites, cottages and group accommodations) declined from 117 thousand to 110 thousand over the same period.

More foreign guests in hotels

The number of overnight stays in hotels rose by 17 percent in the first six months of 2006, relative to the same period three years ago. The number of nights spent in Dutch hotels by foreign guests grew by 19 percent. The increase among Dutch hotel guests was 15 percent.

Number of overnight stays in hotels, first six months

Most hotel guests in western part of the country

The western part of the Netherlands accounted for 63.3 percent of all overnight stays in hotels. More than 80 percent of foreign visitors and some 45 percent of Dutch visitors opted for hotels in the western part of the country. In the southern part of the country, more than one third of hotel guests came from abroad. In the northern and the eastern part of the Netherlands, only one fifth of people staying in hotels were foreigners.

Number of overnight stays in hotels in the first six months, by part of the country

Fewer guests in recreational accommodations

On an average day in the first six months of 2006, more than 110 thousand guests stayed in recreational accommodations, as against 117 thousand three years ago. Overnight stays in this type of accommodation decreased by more than 5 percent over the past three years. Dutch people, on the other hand, more often preferred recreational accommodations to hotels.

The number of Dutch hotel guests in the first six months of this year totalled 7.1 million, as opposed to 15.7 million in recreational accommodations. Foreign guests accounted for 7.8 million nights spent in hotels and 4.3 million nights spent in recreational accommodations.

Number of stays in overnight accommodations, first six months

Yuri Boskamp and Jamilja van der Meulen