Dutch tour operators in three day visit to Macedonia

Macedonia is a country with as much as 300 sunny days, its nature is breathtaking, however those how have already visited the country are in love with the people.

Their hospitality is especially evident with Dutch tourists who are considered friends by many Macedonians. I hope that in the coming three days you will feel these emotions. Macedonia is easy to love, and it is very difficult to leave the country, Dutch ambassador Marriet Schuurman told nearly a hundred representatives of travel organisations and tour operators from the Netherlands upon arriving in Ohrid on Friday.

Schuurman encouraged the Dutch tourism officials, led by CEO of TUI tour operator Steven van der Heijden, to establish as many contacts as possible during their stay in Macedonia in order to invest and seek ways for cooperation with the local business community.

Van der Heijden in his brief speech said that the first impressions from the warm welcome have been more than promising.

"Most of us are here in Macedonia for the first time, but taking into consideration the fact how this visit is being planned by our associated in Macedonia and the local self-government, I think that it is very promising," he stressed.

The sale of arrangements for vacationing in Ohrid has been recording an upward trend in the Netherlands by 40%, it has been said.

According to data by the two largest tour operators that promote Macedonia as a tourist destination, more than 25 thousand arrangements are expected to be sold in Benelux countries this year and the number of charter flights carrying Dutch tourists to Macedonia to be increased. At the moment, four planes by TUI and three by Corendon land every week in Ohrid.

For three seasons in a row, tourists from Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) are the most frequent foreign visitors in Ohrid and Macedonia.