Dutch popular music exports reached €216.5m in 2018, most of which was down to dance music, according to a new report for the performing rights society Buma Cultuur.

Dance accounted for €159m of the total, a rise of €9bn on 2017, Buma Cultuur said.

Afrojack was the busiest Dutch dj abroad, with 135 performances, followed by Tiësto with 126 and Don Diablo with 118. In total, Dutch djs, bands and other performers put on almost 15,000 performances abroad in 2018.

‘Dutch artists are quick to adapt to changes in the market,’ spokesman Frank Helmink said. ‘There are fewer performances in North America but djs are putting on lots of shows in Asia. That is a growth market where the Dutch have a strong presence.’