ROTTERDAM, 31 March 2026 – Rotterdam has introduced a new tourism monitor designed to track both the growth of tourism and its wider impact on the city. The new tool, presented by the municipality and Rotterdam Partners during Future Forecast, is meant to help Rotterdam steer tourism in a way that works for residents, businesses and the city as a whole.
The new Tourism Monitor (Toerismemonitor) is built around a simple idea that will sound familiar if you follow how Rotterdam likes to position itself. A city that works well for visitors should first work well for the people who live and work here.
That principle sits at the centre of Rotterdam’s Tourism Vision 2025-2030 (Visie Toerisme 2025-2030), titled Guest in Rotterdam (Te gast in Rotterdam). In that vision, tourism is not treated as an end in itself, but as a way to strengthen the city more broadly.
What the tourism monitor tracks
The Tourism Monitor is designed to show more than visitor totals. It also tracks where visitors come from, how long they stay and how they spread across the city.
At the same time, it aims to make the broader impact of tourism more visible. That includes what tourism means for residents, entrepreneurs and the city’s overall development, giving local stakeholders more to work with when responding to trends and future growth.
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Rotterdam keeps growing internationally
The latest figures shared by Rotterdam Partners for 2025 suggest that Rotterdam is continuing to strengthen its position as an international destination. Hotel overnight stays have doubled over the past decade, reaching 3.2 million in 2025, which is 5% higher than in 2024.
The number of overnight guests rose to 1.81 million, up 2.4%, while average stays reached 1.8 nights per visit. Business tourism, including meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, has now fully returned to pre-pandemic levels, reaching 1 million overnight stays, a rise of 25%.
Business visits are rising again
The city is also seeing renewed momentum in congresses and inward investment. In 2025, Rotterdam secured 31 new conferences for the coming years, with an expected economic spin-off of more than €41 million.
That same year, 27 international companies established themselves in Rotterdam. Together, those arrivals are linked to 565 jobs and an economic impact of €89.4 million, adding another layer to the city’s broader visitor and business economy.
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How residents feel about tourism
The monitor also includes a liveability angle, which matters in a city where tourism is growing but still tends to feel more manageable than in places dealing with overtourism. According to the new figures, residents in Rotterdam are generally positive about tourism, giving it an average score of 3.4 out of 5.
For the city, that balance is clearly part of the message. The aim is to keep positioning Rotterdam strongly while staying alert to what tourism growth means in practice for neighbourhoods, public space and daily life.
The city wants more balance
Alderman for Economy Robert Simons said the course set by the municipality and Rotterdam Partners is helping strengthen Rotterdam as an international destination and support the city’s visitor economy, while also creating jobs, energy and opportunities that benefit Rotterdammers.
Rotterdam Partners managing director Erik van Essen said the organisation is building on the results of 2025 with a focus on both liveability and vibrancy, supported by strategic acquisition of companies and conferences and by a network of more than 230 partners that is still growing.
Where to view the monitor
You can view the Tourism Monitor here: https://rotterdampartners.maglr.com/toerismemonitor/intro
