Tourism in the Netherlands

In 2014 the Netherlands was visited by 13.9 million foreign tourists, with nearly 4 million coming from Germany. In 2012, the Dutch tourism industry contributed 5.4% in total to the country's GDP and 9.6% in total to its employment. With its global ranking of 147th and 83rd place for total contribution to respectively GDP and employment, tourism is a relatively small sector of the Dutch economy.

Most visitors arriving to the Netherlands on short term basis in 2014 were from the following countries of nationality:

Amsterdam is the capital city and most populous city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The city is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.63 million international visitors annually, excluding the 16 million day trippers visiting the city every year. The most important museums of Amsterdam are located on the Museumplein (Museum Square), at the southwestern side of the Rijksmuseum. Considered to be the cultural and financial capital of the country, Amsterdam is known for its historic canals, which earned it the monniker Venice of the North, as well as a host of historic buildings and state of the art facilities. Amsterdam is famous for its vibrant and diverse nightlife centred around the Leidseplein and the Rembrandtplein. The Paradiso, Melkweg and Sugar Factory are cultural centres, which turn into discothèques at night.

Main sights and events of interest include:

The city of Rotterdam is known for the Erasmus University, its riverside setting, lively cultural life and maritime heritage. The near-complete destruction of Rotterdam's city centre during World War II has resulted in a varied architectural landscape including skyscrapers, which are an uncommon sight in other Dutch cities. Rotterdam is home to some world-famous architecture by renowned architects like Rem Koolhaas, Piet Blom, and Ben van Berkel, and was voted 2015 European City of the Year by the Academy of Urbanism. The port of Rotterdam is the largest cargo port in Europe, and its extensive distribution system including rail, roads and waterways has earned Rotterdam the nickname "Gateway to Europe", and conversely "Gateway to the World" in Europe.

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Wikipedia