Design new tourism

Inspiration map for The Netherlands
 

Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe have now designed the inspiration map for The Netherlands. Based on ‘Perspective Destination The Netherlands 2030 – a new vision on tourism', this inspiration map consists of 30 ideas for a new kind of tourism.

Five challenges in society

Tourism can be used as a tool to tackle five major challenges in society. Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe developed this inspiration map with new ideas for tourism – letting everyone in the Netherlands benefit. The five challenges in society are:

- Providing rural vitality

- Redeveloping vacant properties

- Creating future-proof nature

- Providing sustainable access

- Ensuring liveability for residents

Tourism is not the goal itself, but a means. The design world can make a major contribution to the sustainable development of destinations through Design Thinking.

Design Thinking is a method used to solve complex problems. People are key as design focuses on human needs and wishes. First a solution is created, then a prototype is designed and tested in practice.  

For each of the five challenges in society, Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe developed six ideas. Solutions are found in a different way and tourism is used as a tool.

Designers can contribute to the development of a future-proof visitors economy. How? By contributing to solutions for sustainable development of destinations. We invite you! Who sees significant opportunities?

 
Valuable tourism

In 2017, there were 761,000 jobs in the tourism sector in The Netherlands. This is more than one in thirteen jobs (CBS, 2018). This makes tourism one of the largest employers in our country. - NBTC

"Tourism is a way to explicitly contribute to solutions for consequential social issues that serve the public interest, i.e. prosperity and welfare, in the Netherlands. The objective of this vision is to develop the Netherlands into a future-proof destination with visits contributing to the prosperity and welfare of all Dutch citizens." Perspective Destination NL 2030 | NBTC

"The current political and policy focus on tourism is disproportionate to its great economic and social significance. Governments are currently still focusing too one-sidedly on the economic benefits of tourism, while they should also consider the increasing opportunities and negative consequences for the living environment and society." - Valuable Tourism | RLI

The council for the living environment and infrastructure published the document 'Valuable Tourism' in September 2019. A document in which it is established that a change of perspective is necessary in tourism policy. It talks about steering tourism to the balance between the economy, society and the living environment. The relationship between "tourist pressure" and "support of the living environment" has been analysed and clarified in the visualization below.

Assessment of the effects of tourism on the living environment and society

Visualization from 'Valuable Tourism' published by RLI

Tourism Talks

Van Eijk & Van der Lubbe guests at various events. In debate about the opportunities and challenges of social challenges in the Netherlands and how tourism can be a means to meet these challenges.

• Salon van Gogh, tourism as an opportunity for a valuable living environment for everyone - March 2021
• Webinar, tourism as a catalyst for regional challenges (design thinking) - February 2021
• DDW TV, Dutch Design Week Eindhoven, opportunities and challenges for new tourism - October 2020