Netherlands city center footfall drops 8.7% in Q3 2026

Footfall in Dutch city centers decreased by an average of 8.7% in the third quarter of 2026 compared to the previous year, according to data from the National Visitors Index. Nearly three-quarters of the surveyed central areas reported a decline in passersby.

The decline was most pronounced in the six largest municipalities, which saw an average drop of 15%, with Utrecht and The Hague experiencing significant decreases. In contrast, medium-sized cities saw a more moderate average decline of 4.4%, and coastal towns remained nearly stable with a negligible decrease of 0.3%.

Despite the reduction in visitors, retail turnover in July and August actually increased compared to the previous year. Additionally, the average duration of visits to central areas remained largely unchanged, suggesting that while fewer people are visiting, spending patterns and engagement levels per visitor have remained resilient.