Why Dutch Officials Want You to Forget the Country of Holland (Published 2020) (2024)

For decades, the Dutch government used “Holland” and “the Netherlands” interchangeably to describe the country known for its iconic canals, tulip fields and windmills.

But as of Jan. 1, the country hopes to put that identity crisis behind it: All official government communications and promotional materials will use the Netherlands as its name.

The Dutch government has been working on a branding campaign for the past 18 months to enhance the country’s image in the face of growing international competition, said Ingrid de Beer, the head of the public diplomacy section in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Our international image faces some challenges,” she said.

Research showed that many people do not know of the Netherlands or have outdated perceptions of the country, Ms. de Beer said. Young people, particularly those in countries farther away, are unfamiliar with the country, she said.

The Netherlands consists of 12 provinces, two of which — Noord (North) Holland and Zuid (South) Holland — make up Holland. Amsterdam, which sees about 19 million travelers annually, and Keukenhof, one of the world’s largest flower gardens and a popular attraction, are both in the Holland region.

In some ways, the Dutch tourism board’s efforts to attract visitors have been too successful.

Straining to handle millions of tourists, the country’s tourism board stopped promoting its most famous attractions in favor of trying to encourage travelers to go to lesser-known destinations, according to a 2019 report.