Dutch government drops ‘Holland’ nickname in international rebrand

Traditional dutch windmill in the middle of tulip field.
By Christian Fleetwood


The Dutch government has ceased using the nickname ‘Holland’ in favour of the country’s official title, the Netherlands.

As of January, companies, embassies, ministries and universities can now only refer to the Netherlands by its legitimate title, as part of a €200,000 ($319,000) rebrand, news agency EFE reported.

The move forms part of an update to the country’s international image, and part of a push to more sustainably manage its growing annual intake of tourists.

Tourists and travel professionals alike should expect to encounter a new logo promoting the nation, which will reportedly combine the initials ‘NL’ with the Netherlands’ national flower, the orange tulip.

The new iteration will replace the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions’ (NBTC) current symbol, which incorporated a tulip and the word ‘Holland’.

Holland is not the official name of the entire country and represents two of the country’s 12 provinces – North Holland, which includes Amsterdam, and South Holland, where Rotterdam is found.

The tourism industry started promoting the nation using the nickname 25 years ago, but now wants to present the commerce, science and politics of the entire country, EFE reported.

As part of a renewed sustainable tourism strategy, the Netherlands aims to put an end to large numbers of visitors on cheap flights, particularly to Amsterdam, and to promote respectful travel.

Minister for Foreign Trade Sigrid Kaag said the new style would help show what the Netherlands has to offer visitors, whether they come to live, work or holiday, according to EFE.

She added that it could be used in different industries “from high tech to agri-food and from sport to culture”.

The tourism board will also reportedly close offices in Spain, Italy and Japan in the spring of 2020 in favour of countries that send larger numbers of recurring visitors, tourists and business travellers.

The Netherlands expects to host 30 million international visitors in 2020. The country expects this will increase pressure on the quality of life and the environment, emphasising the importance of promoting sustainable development.

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