TO ATTRACT different Indonesian market segments, a strategic partnership – The Holland Alliance – was formed to come up with thematic tours of The Netherlands.
Formed by four partners, Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions Holland Marketing (NBTC), KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Amsterdam Marketing, this new strategy was put in place as part of Holland’s target to increase the number of arrivals from Indonesia by 238 per cent from 42,000 in 2014 to 142,000 in 2025.
Speaking during the South-east Asia 2015 Sales Mission to Jakarta on Monday, Andrew van der Feltz, manager business development and operations of NBTC, said: “This year, for example, we have come up with the Story of Van Gogh, taking travellers to places around The Netherlands that are related to the artist’s (life and career). Next year, we will come up with more themes to attract different interest groups.”
In the meantime, Amsterdam Marketing has come up with several themes to promote the city and its surroundings to international travellers. They include Amsterdam Beach, Old Holland, Haarlem, Flowers of Amsterdam, (City of) Amsterdam, the New Lands, and Castles and Gardens of Amsterdam.
Jarina Rombouts, consumer marketing of Amsterdam Marketing, said: “For the Indonesian markets, we are targeting the first time travellers with (tours like) Old Holland and Flowers of Amsterdam, while for the repeat visitors we will offer themes like Castles and Gardens, and New Lands.”
Elaborating on the New Lands theme, Rombouts said it offered outlet shopping and the story of a reclaimed area of Amsterdam.
Van der Feltz added: “Apart from increasing the number of arrivals, we would also like to increase the length of stay, and we will work closely with the travel trade as well as engaging in social media to attract travellers.”
A Mega Sales Mission that will bring tour operators and media together is also scheduled for April next year.
The Netherlands received a total 14 million visitors last year and the country is targeting 16 million arrivals by 2020.
