New publication: Guidelines Space for Recreation & Tourism

Why is that important? It is not self-evident that R&T is included in spatial interventions, and it still needs to be an integral part of the broad spatial puzzle. The Netherlands faces many major spatial and socio-economic challenges, scarce physical space and limited budgets. Yet clever combinations are needed to get the most out of investments and to create multifunctional places that are of value to residents and visitors. Every landscape is potentially also a leisure landscape, whether it concerns the urban landscape, the rural environment, or the areas in between. Thinking in terms of leisure landscapes is essential because the population is growing, and recreational pressure is increasing. The green recreational space has decreased in recent decades, and more visitors are expected. The Space for Recreation & Tourism guideline includes the following points of view.

• 'If there is no active focus on including the recreational task in other spatial tasks, the shortage of recreational space will continue to increase.'
• 'If no action is taken, hotspots will continue to fill up, the pressure on communities and vulnerable places will increase, and places that could use a boost in terms of Broad Prosperity will still not benefit enough.'
• 'If too little thought is given to R&T in spatial planning and vision formation, great plans will fail in implementation, opportunities will not be taken advantage of or plans will be realized with too little experience quality. Governments then fail residents in their task 'to create conditions for social and cultural development and leisure activities' (Constitution, Article 22, Paragraph 3).'

Curious about the entire publication? Download the Space for Recreation & Tourism guideline (Only in Dutch).

The publication was commissioned by the Vrijetijdsnetwerk Nederland (partnership between provinces in the field of recreation & tourism) and prepared by CELTH with Stefan Hartman and Jasper Heslinga (NHL Stenden/ETFI), Daniek Nijland (HZ Coastal Tourism Knowledge Center), Jeroen Nawijn (BUas) and Martin Boisen (For the Love of Place).