Arena Market: The Netherlands
The storm clouds hanging over the Dutch live music market in recent years were due to government plans to raise the VAT rate on a range of cultural products, including tickets, from 9% to 21% by 2026.
The live sector mobilised to oppose this last year and claimed a partial victory in the fact that the government’s finance minister, Eelco Heinen, said in late 2024 that the issue could be reconsidered as it paused its plans.
The live sector was arguing that such a VAT hike would cost them €350m annually in income and trigger a 10% increase in ticket prices in order to offset this.
A bullet dodged for now, the arena business in the Netherlands is looking optimistically towards growth and expansion.
“We are seeing the number of concerts grow,” says Arnaud Hordijk, head of entertainment and sports at the 11,500-cap Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam. “This is also related to the rising popularity of Dutch acts.”
The Ahoy is effectively a…
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