Some eight million people will be packing their bags in the next two weeks in preparation for the May holiday break, but high costs mean they will not be straying too far or too long from home, a survey into holiday plans by motoring organisation ANWB has shown.
Some 60% are going away for a week or less, while 25% go for longer than a week. One in 10 takes a two to three-week break,the ANWB survey showed.
In total, six in 10 people will go on a trip this May. That number is about the same as last year but rising fuel costs due to the United States’ war on Iran is prompting a shift in destinations.
The great majority of holidaymakers (94%) are opting for a European destination. Almost half are staying put, while one in five are going to nearby Germany, which has beaten Spain as the second favourite European destination. Some 14% of holidaymakers said they would go to Belgium for the break.
The United States is less popular as a destination, as are trips to Asia, mainly because the war is making transfers in Middle Eastern countries impossible.
This year, just one in three people are flying to their destination compared to 40% last year. “That is quite a drop,” an ANWB spokesman told the AD. “Higher ticket prices may be to blame,” he said.
High parking prices may also play a part. Recent figures from Vliegveldinfo.nl show that airport parking will reach an all-time high average of €98 per week in May and during the summer months, up almost €11 on last year.
According to figures from statistics agency CBS, camping is also growing in popularity. The number of people putting up a tent or towing a caravan grew by 9% to 5.6 million in 2025 as a whole. In May, 17% of holidaymakers are going camping, and three in 10 said this was because it was cheaper.
Some 26% of holidaymakers consulted ChatGPT and other AI tools to plan their holiday and find out about local activities and restaurants. Young people in particular use the tools as a travel guide. “That is all well and good but it may be a good idea to physically check if a particular restaurant is really open for business,” the ANWB spokesman said.
