The reaction comes following a report on Dutch News detailing a marked increase in tourism for the Benelux nation, with British tourism having a positive impact on the economy on both a local and national scale.
The figures, taken from a survey assessing the number of people staying in hotels overnight across the country, highlight a six per cent rise overall – taking the total number up to a huge 36 million – a number that is “largely down to foreign visitors” from Britain, Germany and Belgium.
The number is up nine per cent on the previous year, something that the survey attributes in part to the extended period of good weather preceding and succeeding the summer break, as well as the exchange rate being “favourable” for large parts of the year.
It is expected that Holland will continue to enjoy this tourism boom despite the hospitalisation of a number of tourists that fell victim to harmful substances sold by street drug dealers in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. It is alleged that the tourists bought heroin by mistake after being assured that the white powder was cocaine, leaving them in need of serious medical attention from the local authorities.
A spokesperson for Europe EHIC Services Ltd, a company that helps British nationals with theEuropean Health Insurance Card (EHIC) application process, has released a statement following the report: “The ease that we are able to sample the delights of the continent thanks for cheap air travel and favourable exchange rates means that destinations such as the Netherlands will always remain popular with the British public.
“However, it’s important to remember that taking the correct precautions regarding healthcare must remain a top priority in order to ensure that you are able to access suitable treatment should you need it. Through carrying an EHIC, you open yourself up to the privileges that are afforded to Dutch nationals and save yourself hundreds – sometimes thousands – of pounds in the process.”
