Lower travel spending is putting pressure on overall online spending

Dutch consumers spent nearly €9 billion online in the first quarter of 2026, 6% less than in the same period in 2025. Spending on products decreased by 2% and spending on services by 3%. The number of online purchases, however, rose by 2%, to over 85 million. This overall volume growth is entirely attributable to a 4% increase in product purchases, as the number of service purchases fell by 7%. Online purchases (+18%) and spending (+1%) abroad are also on the rise, primarily due to a growing share from China (+43% in purchases and +47% in spending). This is evident from the latest figures from the Thuiswinkel Market Monitor, the study on online consumer purchases in the Netherlands. The study is conducted by NielsenIQ on behalf of Thuiswinkel.org and Retail Insiders, in collaboration with PostNL and the Dutch Payments Association.

Travel market slows down despite peak season

The decline in spending on services can mainly be attributed to the travel categories. Online spending on individual airline tickets and accommodations fell by 13%, and spending on package tours by 11%. The number of purchases in these categories also fell by 9% and 16%, respectively. This is a notable break from the trend; the first quarter is traditionally a strong period for travel bookings and has always shown growth in recent years. The average purchase amount for airline tickets and accommodations fell from €453 to €434. For package tours however, this figure rose, from €2,546 to €2,681.

Marlene ten Ham, managing director at Thuiswinkel.org, comments: “The ANVR Dutch travel industry association booking monitor shows that, due to global uncertainty, Dutch travelers are more often choosing destinations within Europe rather than outside Europe. As a result, spending on travel is declining. Neighboring country destinations Germany and Belgium are particularly popular and are showing significant growth figures.”

About seven out of ten trips are booked through Dutch online travel booking providers. In addition, approximately 15% are booked through German providers and about 10% through French providers. Individual airline tickets and accommodations are relatively often booked directly through foreign booking providers, while package tours are more frequently purchased through Dutch providers.

The number of online purchases of tickets for attractions and events is also declining. We already saw a downward trend in this area last year, which has now continued. However, the average amount per purchase has risen significantly, from €77 to €93.

Differing online booking behaviors for travel

While an average of 44% of online purchases are now made via smartphone, this is much less common when it comes to booking travel arrangements. For airline tickets and accommodations, the figure is 28%, and for package tours, it’s as low as 14%. When it comes to tickets for attractions and events however, the smartphone actually outperforms desktops and laptops: 53% of tickets are purchased via smartphone. Marlene ten Ham: “We’re seeing that mobile is becoming the standard for online shopping, but for more complex purchases like travel, consumers continue to stick with the desktop.”

Payment behavior also differs for travel bookings. While on average 8% of online purchases are paid for with a credit card, this payment method is significantly more popular when booking travel arrangements: 40% of airline tickets and accommodations are paid for with a credit card, and 20% of package tours.