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