Netherlands eyes 2.05 lakh visitors from India in 2018

The Netherlands looks at around 25 per cent growth in Indian visitors in 2018 on the back of various promotional initiatives taken by the country, a senior tourism official of the European nation said.

The country had 1.65 lakh visitors from India in 2017 which was a 31 per cent growth in visitor arrivals compared to 2016, the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) said.

"We forecast a 25 per cent growth in the number of visitors from India to around 2.05 lakh for the current year", NBTC Holland Marketing Global Travel Trade Manager Carola Muller - van Rijn told PTI.

This growth is based on a number of initiatives that are being undertaken, she added.

"One of the important reason for the rise in the number of visitors is growing direct connectivity from India to Amsterdam and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines beginning operations between Mumbai and Amsterdam, will also add to the number of visitors from India to the Netherlands," Muller said.

A growing middle class and worldwide growth in tourism are also aiding the expansion, she added.

On the initiatives, Muller said, "We in collaboration with our partners are organising the Holland Sales Mission 2018 in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai to educate travel trade partners here about the tourism offerings in the Netherlands."
On being asked about the average stay of an Indian visitor, she said, "The average duration of Indian visitors per visit in the Netherlands is four days."