Since the onset of COVID-19 and the lockdown of The Netherlands until at least June 1, however, the country’s flower bulb farming sector has been severely affected.
One of the world’s largest flower gardens, Keukenhof in Lisse, is closed this year.
But with no tourists this year, the industry—and the country as a whole—have suffered severely.
Tourists typically spend some 80 billion euros, approximately $86.8 billion, per year, about 9% of The Netherlands’ gross national product.
Until this year, tourists typically arrive for the popular flower season from mid-April to the end of May, with the majority coming from China, Japan, India, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia and Russia, as well as from all of southern Europe.
