Top Countries for Business Travel in 2019 – Netherlands

At around 16 times smaller than the state of Texas, it is surprising that such a small country has maintained its spot in the top 5 countries for business travel, but according to Forbes, this is due to its ‘consistently high trade surplus, stable industrial relations, and low unemployment’.

Why Do Business in the Netherlands?

• The Netherlands is a stepping stone into the European market and a gateway into the European Union (EU), with access to 95% of Europe’s most lucrative consumer markets within 24 hours of Amsterdam or Rotterdam (PwC)
• The Netherlands shares land borders with Germany and Belgium ,and maritime borders with France and the UK, playing an important role as a European Transportation hub
• The Netherlands is part of the euro zone, with the euro becoming its official currency in 2002. The euro is currently weaker than both the £ and $, meaning more spending money for your next business trip
• It has the 6th largest economy in the European Union and the 13th freest economy in the world, due to its openness to global trade and investment (Heritage)
• Top industries include agrifood, energy, logistics, the creative industries, information and technology, high tech systems, chemicals, and life sciences and health
• Its capital city, Amsterdam, and other cities, The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Eindhoven are major business hubs, each specialising in these various industries
• Known for its R&D and IT, the Netherlands scored 2nd within the Global Innovation Index for 2018. According to PwC, 70% of Dutch Innovation is IT related
• The Netherlands is the 2nd largest agricultural exporter in the world (Forbes)
• Its official language is Dutch, but English is also widely spoken, with the Netherlands scoring 2nd on the English Proficiency Index 2018. A higher percentage of the Dutch population also speak German and French than their counterparts elsewhere (PwC)
• The Netherlands has a highly skilled workforce with an almost 100% literacy rate and 20% of the population moving into higher education
• The Netherlands has a high standard of living and a lower cost of living than most European countries. It has one of the highest incomes per capita in the EU (PwC)
• According to the United Nations World Happiness Report 2019, it is the 5th happiest country in the world
• The Netherlands was joint 8th in the least corrupt countries index 2018 (Transparency International)
• The Netherlands has a strong business environment with a supportive tax structure and competitive corporate tax rate (compared to the rest of Europe)
• The Dutch infrastructure is one of the best in the world, with an extensive road and rail network and a digital telecommunications network that ranks among the world’s best for quality, speed and reliability. The Netherlands also has world-class airports and the largest port in Europe: The Port of Rotterdam
• The Netherlands is GMT+1 in winter and GMT+2 in the summer. Its position in the Central European Time zone makes communication within Europe easier and more accessible
• The Netherlands has a temperate marine climate with cool summers and mild winters. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of 3°C and the warmest month is August with an average temperature of 17°C

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