Beach tourists on a World Heritage Site

In the current edition of Vrijetijdsstudies [Leisure Studies] professor of Marine Wetland Studies Hans Revier and professor of Scenario Planning Albert Postma, both employed at Stenden University o.A.S., have published an article ‘Badgasten in een werelderfgoed; de ontwikkeling van het toerisme in het Nederlandse waddengebied nader beschouwd’ [beach tourists in a World heritage site; a review of the development of tourism in the Dutch Wadden area ]. Vrijetijdsstudies is the only Dutch academic peer reviewed journal that focuses on the Dutch situation in the leisure sector (http://www.vrijetijdsnetwerk.nl/index.php/tijdschrift/over-vrijetijdstudies/;http://www.nritonderzoek.nl/?action=pagina&id=75&id2=23139&title=Vrijetijdstudies&mediumsoort=4).

Tourism main economic activity in Wadden Sea area

Every year between one and two million people visit the Wadden Sea. Here,tourism has become one of the main economic activities. In the Netherlands, especially the islands are a popular holiday destination. Cycling, walking and beach visits are popular activities. The authentic atmosphere, the beach and the dunes are most appreciated.

Main land does not benefit from tourists visiting the Wadden Islands

The natural values of the Wadden play a less important role, although research shows that there is a certain relationship between nature experiences and the site specificity of the tourist. Unlike in Germany, tourism on the Wadden coast at the mainland of North Holland, Friesland and Groningen do not benefit from the many of visitors to the Wadden Islands.

World Heritage status of Wadden Sea unknown

The recent designation of the Wadden Sea as UNESCO World Heritage is generally seen as an important incentive for the development of tourism. However, in the Netherlands the World Heritage status is still relatively unknown. Unlike in the German coastal area, entrepreneurs hardly use the World Heritage Status.

Short breaks to the Wadden area combined with N-NL highlights

Based on the World Heritage status of the Wadden Sea and the plannedexpansion of Groningen Airport Eelde as new challenges, some directions for the development of tourism in the Northern Netherlands are identified with the help of scenario planning and elaborated into 23 product-market-partner- combinations. These have the character of short breaks in which a visit to the Wadden area is linked to other highlights in the Northern Netherlands.


Reference: Revier, H., & Postma, A., (2012). Badgasten in een werelderfgoed; de ontwikkeling van het toerisme in het Nederlandse waddengebied nader beschouwd. Vrijetijdsstudies, 30(3).