Holiday entrepreneurs in Drenthe had a slightly quieter time this summer than last year. This is what Marketing Drenthe states in an initial estimate of the holiday season.
“We always conduct a survey before the summer,” explains Miranda Horstman of Marketing Drenthe. “Entrepreneurs were satisfied with the bookings, but are slightly more moderate than last year.” Back then, especially campsites already had high occupancy figures. Marketing Drenthe does not yet have exact figures.
According to Horstman, there is a clear explanation for this. “That is partly because people tend to book a little later. And people are moving abroad again.” During the corona years, people mainly stayed in their own country, something that also happened in the first period after corona.
Due to the bad weather in July, the figures have not yet been adjusted upwards. “July was wetter and colder than average. Such weather usually does not suddenly result in many extra bookings.” Holidaymakers then mainly go abroad in search of a warmer and drier place. Hotels also did good business, says Horstman.
The tourists who spend their summer holidays in Drenthe are mainly people from their own country. The majority come from the west of the country and from Gelderland. A region where Drenthe is less popular is the South of the Netherlands. “We notice that they find it more difficult to visit us,” says Horstman. “We clearly see fewer visitors from Zeeland and Limburg.”
After the Dutch, it is mainly Germans who holiday in Drenthe.
Bad weather is bad news for campsites, while indoor attractions fare much better. “The Prison Museum and the Hunebed Center have attracted many visitors,” says Horstman. “But Wildlands and Drouwenerzand also performed well, even though it is partly outdoors.”
According to Marketing Drenthe, recreational entrepreneurs actually like it when the summer is a little less busy. “We therefore try to spread it out, by filling more seasons that are quieter. If the summers are less busy, it is not a problem if the entrepreneurs receive the money a little earlier or later.”