If you avoided ever referring to the Netherlands as “ Holland ” because you were n’t quite sure if that was right , keep doing what you ’re doing . The state kicked off 2020 by formally striking the name from exercise .
ThoughHollandtechnically refer to only two of the Netherlands ’ 12 provinces , North and South Holland , citizens have long accepted and even embrace it as another moniker for the entire rural area . But because those two provinces are dwelling house to democratic destinations like Amsterdam , Rotterdam , Leiden , and The Hague , unmanageable masses of tourists are overload the region and inch the Netherlands towards an over - tourism crisis .
Terminating references to Holland is part of the Netherlands ’ nationwide endeavor to remind prospective tourist that the res publica is n’t just Holland , and it has pile of other appealing locales beyond the quaint canals andcat houseboatsof Amsterdam . As part of the rebrand , Hollandwill be substitute withthe Netherlandsin all promotional and marketing materials , as well as at troupe , embassy , regime offices , and university . The country ’s officiallogois changing , too — alternatively ofHollandbeside an orange tulip , it ’ll be the wordNetherlandsto the rightfield of the initialsNL(which are designed to resemble a tulip ) .
It ’s not the Netherlands ’ first attempt to keep tourism in check . According toForbes , the Board of Tourism hold back promoting Holland as a holidaymaker destination last May , and they ’re shutting down office in Spain , Italy , and Japan to facilitate curb the influx of visitors . Amsterdam , meanwhile , is planning to increase its tourist tax for the 2nd time in two yr .
This in vogue run coincide with an particularly significant year for the Netherlands in term of international exposure . Not only will the nation vie in this summertime ’s Olympics in Tokyo , it ’s also slate to host the Eurovision Song Contest and four soccer matches in the UEFA Euro tournament .
[ h / tForbes ]
