Netherlands decides to ditch name "Holland"

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Dutch Government has decided to ditch all use of the term “Holland” to reference the name of their country. The Netherlands, the country’s official name, will now be used in all promotional materials. The clear branding decision ends decades of confusion and has been agreed by a range of stakeholders including central government, tourism board and business leaders, Forbes reports.

Those behind the change want to essentially rebrand the country on an international stage, where Holland is arguably the more common name. In particular, government ministers are keen to disassociate the county from the image of Amsterdam’s red light district and recreational drug use.

A spokeswoman for the ministry of foreign affairs said the Netherlands needed a more uniform and coordinated national branding. She said: “We want to present the Netherlands as an open, inventive and inclusive country. We’ve modernised our approach.

Although the Netherlands’ flag is red, white and blue, the color orange is prominently used in the country’s branding. Dutch News reported that orange will remain the country’s official colour, although it’s not known whether the tulip icon will be retained.

Among the first uses of the revised brand in major promotional campaigns will be at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest, which will be hosted by the Dutch city Rotterdam. The Netherlands will also be used on all materials associated with the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.