The Dutch Event Sector is Under Pressure, Warns The Association of Event Makers (VVEM). Increasingly Higher Costs, Inflation, Staff Shortages and A Tangle of Local Rules Are Causing Festivals and Other Events to Run Into Increasing Problems.
The Netherlands is one of the most innovative event country in the world. The Sector Contributes More Than 9 Billion Euros to the Economy, sacrifices 70,000 people a permanent job and attracts Millions of Visitors Annually.
Yet the Future of the Festival Landscape is not a Given. Because in the Meantime The Number of Festivals is Shrinking: This year Fewer Events are Taking place than in 2024. “Every Municipality Uses Different Rules,” Says VVEM Chairman Boris van der Ham. “That makes organizing festivals complex and unpredictable. There must be unity in this.”
Accordance to the vvem, not only is the regulation a Problem, but balance tickets must also be tackled. Reselling tickets via Platforms Such As Viagogo is a Thorn in the Side of the Organizers. Resal Platforms Are Often Unreliable And Earn Extra Money On Tickets, which Are Already Becoming More Expective.
The Organization also pleads for the creation of permanent festival locations. Accordance to the association, these are crucial steps to ensure that the Netherlands can still enjoy festivals in 2040. Van der Ham Emphasizes That Festivals are more than entertainment. “Festivals and events are not a side issue or luxury, but essential for a vibrant economy and a healthy society.”