Netherlands for Beginners

The Netherlands is a country located in western Europe. The Netherlands borders on Germany, Belgium and the North Sea. In the year 1815 the foundation was laid for the Netherlands. At that time the country was still called the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the part that we now know as Belgium also belonged to the Netherlands. The Netherlands as we know it today arose in 1830 after the Belgium revolution, when Belgium separated from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Over the past 2 centuries, the Netherlands has grown into one of the most developed countries in the world. The Netherlands scores excellently in many areas. What is gradually becoming more and more visible is that the role of the Netherlands on a global level is diminishing due to the emergence of other economies at a time when the Netherlands is in somewhat more difficult waters.

Safe on Holiday in the Netherlands

If you want to book a holiday in the Netherlands, there are several providers where you can book an accommodation. We make it easy for you by providing a selection of popular Dutch providers of holiday homes, apartments and hotel rooms in the Netherlands.

Landal is one of the best-known Dutch brands in the field of holiday parks. Even now you can fully enjoy one of dozens of Dutch holiday parks of Landal, such as the luxurious Hof van Saksen, the Holiday Park Strand Resort Ouddrop Duin located by the beach or a bungalow park located in nature. As long as not all facilities are open, special offer rates apply for the Landal parks.

Kingdom of the Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that belongs to the sovereign state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with the same head of state as the country of the Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander. Four countries belong to the Kingdom of the Netherlands: the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. The Caribbean islands of Saba, Sint Eustatius and Bonaireare special municipalities in the Netherlands. On the one hand, these 3 islands belong to the country of the Netherlands, on the other hand there are a number of ways in which there is a difference between the Caribbean Netherlands and the European Netherlands. For example, you pay with the American dollar instead of the euro, the islands do not belong to the Schengen area and the laws and taxes are not (yet) the same.

Tourism

The Netherlands is a popular holiday destination, despite the fact that the Netherlands as a real sun destination does not have much to offer compared to a lot of other countries. Tourists mainly come to the Netherlands because of the typical Dutch culture, our customs, the history and the many sights that the country has to offer. The Netherlands is unique in many areas. The big advantage for foreign guests is that the Netherlands is not that big in square kilometers, so you can see and do a lot within a relatively short time. Every year, the Netherlands receives more than twelve million foreign tourists, who together account for around 30 million overnight stays. In addition, there are also a lot of Dutch people who enjoy one or more holidays in their own country.

Most foreign tourists come from Germany. They account for about a quarter of all tourists who visit the Netherlands. Belgium and Great Britain are in joint second place, each with around 12-13 percent of all tourists. The number four on the list is the United States. The Netherlands is incredibly popular among Americans. They account for 7 to 8 percent of foreign visitors. A clear increase has been observed in visitors from China and Russia. This is mainly due to the increasing prosperity in those two countries and the fact that both Chinese and Russians are becoming more and more eager to travel.

During the corona crisis, vacation in the Netherlands is not what you are used to. The measures and advice from the government to combat the COVID-19 virus have a significant impact to tourism in the Netherlands. On our 'holiday in the Netherlands' page you can read the current situation about going on holiday in your own country during the corona measures.

Price Level

Prosperity in the Netherlands means that prices are quite high. Some products are also taxed extra heavily by the government, making them more expensive than is actually necessary compared to other countries. An example of this are cigarettes, tobbaco and cigars. The tax burden on this is so high that most of the sales price goes directly to the Dutch treasury. Fuel prices in the Netherlands are also quite high. The car is a serious cash cow for the government. In addition to substantial excise and VAT revenues on petrol, diesel and LPG, the Netherlands also collects significant amounts from car owners in road tax and also considerable tax on the purchase of a new car.

What is on average cheaper in the Netherlands than elsewhere in Europe, is shopping in the supermarket. Under pressure from the large supermarket chains, purchases can be made reasonably cheaply, which partly benefits the prices that customers pay at the checkout.

Taxes

The Netherlands has a progressive tax system, in which you pay more in percentage as soon as you earn more. In addition, the Dutch system has a large number of surcharges and discounts. For example, there is a health care system in which in principle every Dutch citizen should pay almost the same, but the low incomes (and that concept is very broad) are compensated. This is done by means of a healthcare allowance that you receive if you are below a certain income limit. However, people who are above a certain (family) income have to pay an extra contribution. This so-called income-related ZVW contribution can amount to several thousand euros per year.

On average, the tax burden for private individuals in the Netherlands is one of the highest in the world. This is partly due to all kinds of taxes that are levied outside of payroll tax and excise duties. Think of fairly high VAT rates, inheritance tax and other types of levies by the government.

Happy Dutch

The Dutch have a reputation for complaining quite easily. It seems to be ingrained in the culture. A day not moaned is a day wasted, they say. Yet the Dutch are among the happiest people in the world if you are to believe the various studies in that area. The average Dutch person values the life he or she has. A frequently heard response from Dutch people to such messages is the question whether it could be worse elsewhere than in the Netherlands.

Are the Dutch indeed too critical? You would think so when you read how expats and foreign students experience life in the Netherlands. Many would like to stay in the Netherlands for good, because they appreciate a number of typical Dutch customs and other things. The only thing they really have to get used to is the directness of the Dutch. We are really known for that in the rest of the world. And for our tulips, of course!