Research and Statistics Economic Development Department
Fact sheet number 5 | November 2011
Tourism 2010: a new record for Amsterdam In 2010 tourism in Amsterdam grew at a remarkably high rate: 14% compared to 2009. A new record of nearly 10 million bed nights was reached. The Amsterdam tourism industry owes this growth to several factors: the improving global economy, the maritime SAIL event and the increase in hotel capacity. Both hotel capacity and the number of bed nights in Amsterdam is growing faster than it is nationally. Due to the increasing demand for hotels, the occupancy in 2010 was better than in 2009 and as a result hoteliers have increased their prices. However, the tourism industry has not yet fully recovered since the recession. The hospitality industry is still showing a decline in sales and the number of jobs throughout the tourism sector is increasing more slowly than the average for Amsterdam. Although the expectations for 2011 are favourable, it remains to be seen whether the level reached in 2010 can be surpassed given the global economic uncertainty, especially in the Eurozone.
In 2010 Amsterdam attracted 5.3 million tourist
1.2 million more bed nights than in 2009 (14%),
arrivals, good for 9.7 million bed nights. This was
and also 880,200 bed nights above the previous record level in 2007 (+10%). Compared to 2005
Tourist Arrivals and bed nights in Amsterdam, 2001-2010
– the year when the previous SAIL event was
10 x 1 mil.
held – tourism in Amsterdam has increased by
9
22%. Guests stayed an average of 1.84 nights in
8
Amsterdam in 2010, slightly longer than in 2005
7
and 2007 (1.82).
6
3
Growth in tourism in 2010 thanks to the Dutch, with slowdown in 2011
2
The 1.2 million increase in bed nights in
1
Amsterdam in the period 2009-2010 is largely
5 4
due to hotel accommodation for Dutch tourists
0 2001
2002
tourist arrivals
2003
2004
bed nights
2005 SAIL
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010 SAIL
Source: Census Bureau (CBS)
(+281.000), Brits (+129.000), Italians (+118.000), Spaniards (+113.000) and guests from the United
Increase of bed nights in hotels by country of origin (sorted by percentage of growth in 2010) 40
%
30 20
2
10 0 –10
to ta l
s* * tri e co un IC BR
re s
Un
ur op e
do m ng Ki
d ite
N e Th
change year to year 2009/2010
to fE
ia As
A
G
er m
US
an
y
ce Fr an
et he
rla
Sp
ai
nd
s
n
ly Ita
.U cl (e x
a er ic Am
Af ric
a
/O ce
an
SA
ia
)
–20
change january-june 2011* to january-june 2010
*) Preliminary figures. **) BRIC countries: Brasil, Russia, India and China.
Census Bureau (CBS). The growth was mitigated
Tourist arrivals in Amsterdam by country of origin, 2010 5%
3% 3% 21%
16%
Source: Census Bureau (CBS)
The Netherlands
by a shorter length of stay in hotels – the possible
United Kingdom
effect of higher prices. Domestic tourism also
USA
decreased as did tourism from European coun-
Germany
tries such as Great-Britain, Spain, France and Italy.
France Spain 15%
4%
Italy BRIC countries*
5%
rest of Europe 6% 6%
10% 7%
In mid 2010 Amsterdam had 370 hotels, with a total of 21,700 rooms and 47,700 beds. Strong
rest of Asia Africa and Oceania rest of America
**) BRIC countries: Brasil, Russia, India and China.
Room occupancy and room rates rose in 2010
Source: Census Bureau (CBS)
growth in the number of bed nights during the period 2009-2010 gave hotels a better room occupancy: the average occupancy increased with four percentage points to 72% in 2010. The occupancy of hotel beds in this period also increased
States (+113.000). But in relative terms the
by four percentage points to 61%. The growing
growth of smaller, less known tourism markets is
demand for hotel rooms and increased occupancy
noticeable: Africa and Oceania (together +33%)
gave hoteliers some space to increase their room
and parts of America other than the United States
rates in 2010, after two years of price cuts due to
(+28%). For the fifth year in a row the BRIC coun-
severe price competition in 2008 and 2009. Room
tries have shown an increase (+9%) in 2010.
rates in 2010 were still below the level of 2007
In the first six months of 2011, the number of bed
and 2008.1 Luxury accommodation (4-5 stars)
nights in Amsterdam increased with an average
achieved a relatively large increase in capacity,
of 1.8%, according to preliminary figures from the
demand and price.
Arrivals, bed nights, length of stay and average bed occupancy in Amsterdam hotels, 2010-2011
arrivals
average bed bed nights length of stay occupancy (%)
Q1 2010
1,087,886
1,934,601
1.78
49
Q2 2010
1,396,803
2,561,244
1.83
64
Q3 2010
1,517,692
2,912,129
1.92
72
Q4 2010
1,280,765
2,316,668
1.81
58
total 2010
5,283,146
9,724,643
1.84
61
Q1 2011*
1,092,000
1,908,200
1.75
49
Q2 2011*
1,479,800
2,666,800
1.80
68
*) Preliminary figures.
Source: Census Bureau (CBS)
Growth of bed nights, hotel beds, room occupancy and room prices according to star class hotels over the period 2009-2010, Amsterdam 16
%
14
3
12 10 8 6 4 2 0 hotels 0-2 stars
hotels 3 stars beds
bed nights
bed occupancy
hotels 4-5 stars
total
room price
Source: CBS/O+S
Total jobs (total FTE and PTE) in the tourist industry, Amsterdam on 1 January 2001-2011 28
x 1,000
24 20 16 12 8 4 0 2001
2002
accommodation
2003
2004
catering
2005 transport
2006
2007
culture and leisure
2008
2009
2010
2011
rest*
* Travel agencies, touristic goods
Source: O+S
Slight growth of jobs in tourism sector2
Strong growth in tourism in Metropolitan region
On 1 January 2011 the Amsterdam tourism sector
Amsterdam presents internationally together with
provided a total of 50,100 jobs, nearly 780 more
its adjoining region as a single tourist product,
(2%) than one year earlier. The number of major
in order to encourage foreign tourists to visit.
jobs (FTE, 12 hours or more per week) increased
In addition to the hotel capacity in Amsterdam,
by 1% to 37,000 and the number of minor jobs
the Metropolitan Region has another 200 hotels;
(PTE, fewer than 12 hours per week) increased
10,000 rooms and 20,000 beds in the regional
by 4% to 13,100. There is some growth in the
municipalities, most of which are concentrated
number of jobs in catering (cafĂŠs, restaurants,
around Schiphol Airport, in the Haarlem city
fast food) in Amsterdam (3%), whereas for travel
centre and the resort of Zandvoort.
agents the number of jobs (–4%) is decreasing.
In 2010 there were 3.4 million bed nights in the region, of which 2.1 million in the municipalities around Amsterdam (Amstel Meerlanden and Waterland together). With 9.7 million bed nights bought in Amsterdam in 2010, the Metropolitan Area provided 39% of all bed nights in the Netherlands. Both in Amsterdam (+14%) and in the municipalities around Amsterdam (+16%) the number of bed nights increased faster in the period 2009-2010 than it did nationally (+7%).
Bed nights per COROP area in metropolitan area of Amsterdam, 2010 Kop van Noord-Holland Bed nights change 2009/2010
4
 growth  decrease Bed nights in 2010 more than 5,000,000 1,000,000 to 5,000,000 250,000 to 1,000,000 fewer than 250,000
The Netherlands
IJmond +7%
Waterland Zaanstreek
+20%
Metropolis Amsterdam
+28%
Agglomeratie Haarlem
AMSTERDAM
+10%
+14%
Flevoland +13%
Amstel-Meerlanden +20%
Het Gooi en Vechtstreek +12%
Source: CBS/ edited by O+S
Colophon
Notes 1 According to the Hotel Price Index (HPI), which is calcula-
Oudezijds Voorburgwal 300 1012 GL Amsterdam The Netherlands Telephone +31 (0)20 251 0333 Fax +31 (0)20 251 0444 algemeen@os.amsterdam.nl www.os.amsterdam.nl
2 The tourist sector includes the following industries:
ted annually by the international hotel marketing agency
hospitality (hotels, catering), culture and leisure (museums,
Hotels.com, hotel prices in Amsterdam saw an average
entertainment), passenger transport (including taxis), travel
increase of 8% over the period 2009-2010. This calculation
agents, retailers of souvenirs.
is based on the prices of hotel rooms booked through the website www.hotels.com (hotels with two to five stars).
Sources consulted
According to the O+S hotel survey among 194 hotels,
Amsterdam Tourism & Congress Bureau
the price for an average single room in the period
(Amsterdam Toerisme & Congres Bureau, ATCB)
2009-2010 has increased by 10%, and the price for a
Census Bureau (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, CBS)
double room has increased by 12%.
Dutch Bureau for Tourism and Congresses (Nederlands Bureau voor Toerisme en Congresen, NBTC)
Weesperstraat 89 1018 VN Amsterdam The Netherlands Telephone +31 (0)20 552 3205 Fax +31 (0)20 552 2860 info@ez.amsterdam.nl www.ez.amsterdam.nl
Author: T. Fedorova, MSc (O+S) This fact sheet can also be downloaded from www.os.amsterdam.nl/publicaties