Higher prices for international air travel and bungalow park accommodation were among the main factors contributing to the increase in inflation, CBS said in a press release.
International flight tickets were 12.3 per cent more expensive in May compared with the same month last year, reversing the trend seen in April when fares were 11.6 per cent lower YoY.
Netherlands consumer inflation accelerated to 3.5 per cent year-on-year in May 2026 from 2.8 per cent in April, while prices rose 0.1 per cent MoM, according to CBS.
Higher airfares and bungalow park accommodation costs, supported by holiday demand, drove the increase.
HICP inflation reached 3.4 per cent, exceeding the eurozone’s 3.2 per cent rate, largely due to stronger services inflation.
Accommodation costs at bungalow parks also increased, supported by stronger holiday-related demand. The statistical agency noted that May 2026 included more vacation days than the same month a year earlier, as the Whitsun holiday fell in May this year compared with June in 2025. Tourism-related goods and services typically become more expensive during holiday periods due to increased demand.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose by 0.1 per cent in May compared with April. CBS noted that short-term price movements are often influenced by seasonal factors, such as clothing sales and holiday travel patterns, which may not reflect longer-term inflation trends.
According to the European Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), inflation in the Netherlands stood at 3.4 per cent in May, up from 2.5 per cent in April. Across the euro area, HICP inflation increased from 3.0 per cent in April to 3.2 per cent in May.
Despite the rise in eurozone inflation, the Netherlands continued to record higher overall inflation than the euro area average. CBS said services inflation remained stronger in the Netherlands than across the broader eurozone.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
