In 2018, almost 960,000 hotel nights were booked in Eindhoven. The number of overnight stays has, therefore, increased for the sixth consecutive year.
According to a statement released by the City Council, this is good news for the city. “The Eindhoven economy is growing. The hotel and tourism industries are benefiting from this and are contributing.” Only Rotterdam and Amsterdam experienced higher percentages of increase than Eindhoven.
The trend in Eindhoven is in line with the national expectation. The number of hotel nights is expected to grow in the coming years, albeit at a slower rate than experienced in the past three years. Monique List-de Roos, Eindhoven Councillor for City Marketing says, “It is nice that the number of hotel stays in our city is increasing again.”
‘We cannot rest on our laurels’
“A lower growth rate does indicate we need to pay enough attention to Eindhoven as a destination for both business and leisure visitors. We cannot rest on our laurels. We must continue to invest in keeping our city attractive.” The figures show that the ratio between the number of business and tourist overnight stays is around 60:40. This ratio remains roughly the same as last year.
Peter Kentie is from city marketing organisation Eindhoven365. He says, “The jointly chosen city marketing strategy continues to bear fruit. It affects visitor flows to Eindhoven. Inbound tourism in Eindhoven creates a lot of employment in this sector, more than the national average.”
Research by Dynamic Concepts commissioned by Eindhoven365 also shows that visitors spend considerably more during events in the city, Peter adds. Eindhoven365’s marketing approach is carried out by teamwork with the EHO (Eindhovens Hoteliers Overleg), the BIZ (Business Investment Zone) in the city centre, and the Eindhoven Municipality.
Tourist tax must be used for development
Camille Peters, a member of the EHO board, says, “We are delighted that the City Council realises a lively and well-developed city centre contributes to a pleasant living environment for residents and temporary visitors. But we must be vigilant – stagnation means a decline. It is, therefore, essential that the tourist tax that is collected is fully invested in the further development of the city.”
“We, as a hotel industry, continue to draw attention to the development of a leading convention centre,” she continues. “That is an essential part of your business supply level. Retail and hospitality can also benefit from this. Additional employment is created too.”
Source: Eindhoven City Council
Translator: Melinda Walraven
