ANVR director Frank Oostdam’s plea for more flexibility around school holidays is supported by Jos Vranken, general director of the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC). ‘There seems to be an increasing need for holiday staggering. This can lead to more choice and lower prices for consumers,’ says Vranken in an explanation of the NBTC report on holiday plans. Last week, Oostdam advocated the use of a number of ‘flex days’ to spread the pressure of departures at the start of a school holiday. ‘This will allow holiday crowds to be better spread on roads and airports, but also at the destinations themselves. There, they can sometimes no longer cope with the increasing interest in the high season, which means that sights can often no longer be visited spontaneously. There is already more flexibility in terms of the number of weeks around the May holidays, but the use of a number of ‘flex days’ in particular can work very well.’ According to Oostdam, the use of flex days in Switzerland is already a success. Here, primary and secondary school pupils can use two so-called joker days per year. These can be used freely, without giving a reason. The flex days are not used by everyone, but the possibility exists if necessary. The ANVR calls on the four forming parties to seriously consider the possibility of using ‘flex days’. Encouraging more sustainable forms of transport (bus, train) also requires more options. Vranken of the NBTC says that spreading holidays is also interesting for entrepreneurs. ‘It can lead to more visitors outside the high season. In this way, visitors also make a valuable contribution outside of peak times. Moments when it is often already very busy and accommodations are already full, for example. Diversification can also alleviate the pressure on cities and regions. It is clear that we need to gain a better understanding of its effects and the appropriate measures, such as making holidays more flexible. As a sector, we need to discuss this with each other and also with education.’ (Photo Shutterstock).
