Surge in last-minute bookings for summer travel due to poor Dutch weather

The recent return to mild summer weather in the Netherlands has led to a surge in last-minute bookings for holidays in sunny destinations, as residents try to escape the grey and wet conditions.

Dutch travel companies see rise in bookings for sunny destinations

Based on figures from a survey conducted by De Telegraaf, people living in the Netherlands are making a quick summer escape to countries such as Spain, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, the Antilles and even Zanzibar. Just last week, Sunweb saw an 11,5 percent rise in the number of last-minute bookings compared to the previous week, and this is expected to increase to 20 percent this week as the dreary weather continues.

Corendon is also seeing a spike, with 35 percent more bookings this week. "People still want to enjoy the sun, the beach, and family," said a spokesperson, while referring to the changeable Dutch weather.

This year, the spring was the driest and sunniest ever recorded and the summer started out with weeks of tropical weather, but there has been a recent dip with clouds and rain once again taking over. It is thought that this is the driving factor behind the surge in last-minute bookings.

Last-minute rush for holiday destinations

Travel companies have also noticed that a number of people were holding off on booking their summer holidays in hopes of nabbing last-minute deals. Many are now seizing the opportunity with the poor weather in the Netherlands.

It seems to have paid off too, as prices are relatively reasonable. "There's still plenty of flight availability to most major destinations, and many popular hotels and apartments are already fully booked. But there are definitely still trips available if people decide to go to the sun last minute with the current changeable weather in the Netherlands," a TUI spokesperson told De Telegraaf.