Statistics Netherlands (CBS) has revealed the countries that were visited the most for vacations by Dutch residents in 2023. For those living in the Netherlands, the most popular foreign holiday destination was Germany. 

Germany most popular vacation spot for Dutch residents

Throughout 2023, people in the Netherlands went on holiday a total of 37,6 million times - 20,9 million of these trips were taken outside of the country. The country that Dutch residents visited the most was Germany with a total of 3,6 million times. Followed by France (2,9 million) and Spain (2,1 million).

With the many sights and attractions in Germany and its proximity, it’s no wonder it was the number one vacation spot for holidaymakers from the Netherlands. From hiking and skiing to swimming in lakes and visiting museums, the neighbouring country has a variety of activities that can be enjoyed during the summer and winter seasons making it a top pick throughout the year.  

Couples travelling without children were the largest group of holidaymakers from the Netherlands, visiting Germany more than 1 million times. While couples travelling with children also visited the country numerous times (875.000), they often returned to the Netherlands on average a day sooner than those who didn’t. 

Holidays abroad longer than in the Netherlands

In 2023, the average holiday lasted for 8,4 days. Dutch residents who travelled abroad had vacations almost twice as long (10,8 days) as those who had holidays in the Netherlands (5,5 days). Holidays in the summer were also longer (9,3 days) than those in the winter (7,2 days).

Top holiday destinations for people in the Netherlands

According to CBS, these are the countries that Dutch residents visited the most for holidays in 2023:

1. Germany 
2. France 
3. Spain 
4. Belgium 
5. Italy 
6. Austria 
7. United Kingdom 
8. Greece
9. Portugal 

For more information about the ranking, visit the CBS website.