Importance and impact
Leisure time is becoming increasingly important
Although the amount of leisure time has dropped over the last 30 years, the number of holidays, visits to cities and use of leisure facilities has been rising for years. Visitor figures are now well above pre-Corona pandemic levels. So a lot is done and spent in leisure time. How important is leisure for Dutch people?
Recent research by Leisure Link and Direct Research shows that 2/3rds of respondents have found their leisure time more important in recent years. 6 in 10 Dutch people also indicate that they are more conscious about their leisure time. This shows that leisure is increasingly becoming a basic need.
Fewer and fragmented
The amount of free time has fallen in recent decades from an average of 47 hours per week in 1990 to just over 42 hours per week in 2016. Naturally, the amount of free time as well as the time in the week when people have free time varies greatly based on demographic data ( age, gender, family composition). The available leisure time is generally experienced as more fragmented, partly because life is becoming increasingly full, more is being done at the same time (multi-tasking) and many media resources are available.
No more luxury
In 1998, Joe Pine introduced the experience economy, where experiences and experiences are consumed instead of products and services. The research conducted by Leisure Link in collaboration with Direct Research shows that 2/3rds of respondents have found their leisure time more important over the past 5 years: the age category that is almost ready for retirement scores the highest here (55-65). years). The response from young people up to the age of 30 is striking: more than half not only consider their leisure time more important, but also most often indicate that they spend more money on it. Of all Dutch people, 58% spend their leisure time more consciously than 5 years ago, especially among those aged 55+. The results show that leisure is less and less a luxury, but is increasingly seen as a basic need.
The research shows that being able to relax and unwind is the most important function of leisure time at 64%, followed by having fun (57%) and spending time with family or friends (53%). As expected, having fun is the most important thing for young people under the age of 40, and social contacts are especially important for those aged 55+. What is striking is the relatively high percentage of 'learning something' among young people aged 18-30. Gaining new experiences scores highest at ages 31-40.
There are also interesting differences between men and women: women mainly want to relax and be with friends/family, men want to have more fun, work on their health and gain experiences.
Active and social
The Dutch were also asked which 3 activities take up the most free time. Cycling and walking score the highest at 45%, followed by visiting friends or family (43%). This makes the leisure part active and social. Although young people under 30 score the lowest on cycling and walking, they score the highest on sports. Logically, they also score highest on social media, gaming and streaming services/TV. Another expected outlier is volunteer work among people aged 55+. The expenditure of leisure time on holidays is striking: both 18-30 and 56-65 score considerably lower than average here, men higher than women. Trips are mainly undertaken by the ages 31-55. Women are more likely to be creative than men and also spend more time with friends/family and TV/streaming services.
The figures provide a favorable perspective for the leisure sector. Precisely because of the increasing importance, the use of the leisure offer and the turnover will not decrease quickly. Because Dutch people are more conscious about what they do in their spare time, meeting consumer wishes and clear profiling is becoming increasingly important.
