Integratie van Toerisme en Recreatie in Mobiliteitsbeleid

Recreational travel accounted for about 40% of all kilometers travelled in the Netherlands in 2024. However, these journeys, and the recreational or tourist traveler, are usually not included in mobility policy or data. The recreational traveler is a lot harder to recognize than the commuter. At the same time, they do use the same infrastructure and recreational destinations have the same sustainability or accessibility challenges as work or urban locations. The INTERIM (Integration of Tourism and Recreation in Mobility Policy) project investigates where this separation comes from and investigates which collaborations are possible between the recreation and mobility sectors. Through five pilot regions (Kop van Noord Holland, Municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland, De Biesbosch, Hart van Brabant, and the Heuvelland region), governance barriers and opportunities will be investigated, and recreational passenger flows will be quantified on the basis of (amongst others) RESONO data analysis. This information is used to look at which forms of cooperation can contribute to a more sustainable mobility system, both for the commuter and the recreative traveler.

The first step analyses the governance situation around recreational mobility. Different representatives from national, provincial, and local governments, and representatives of destinations will be interviewed to recognize recurring obstacles in understanding mobility or recreation. Here underlying value differences, goals, responsibilities, and language used will be discussed, in order to come to a general overview of recurring challenges, and best practices.

The second step, undertaken by HZ, focuses on the data analysis in the pilot regions. Using available data and RESONO data, the recreational movements will be quantified. In doing so, a better understanding of the recreational traveler can be made as well as a more supported judgment about the spread of recreational travelers over a destination and the day.
Armed with an understanding of the governance relations and data profile, the final step is to explore potential collaborations to address pilot challenges, or overcome collaboration obstacles. This is done for the pilot regions but will be upscaled to national levels as well.

Ultimately this project will provide concrete advices on how to analyse recreational travel and integrate its flows into mobility policy. This requires the provision of governance facilitation means (to talk across borders) and overviews of involved stakeholders.

Societal issue
Recreational mobility is increasing in intensity and is adding pressure on the national infrastructure. Sustainability challenges and accessibility issues are shared among recreation and mobility. Yet they are addressed in isolation. Ignoring recreational mobility in mobility policy will limit sustainability efforts and can counteract mobility transitions.

Benefit to society
This project strives to capitalise on stronger collaboration between recreational sectors and mobility departments. Having a clearer (data) image of the recreational traveler can create a more integrated profile of mobility users. This can make mobility policy more catered to all movements, instead of solely focusing on the commuter. This fits within larger Comprehensive Wellbeing targets which take into account the possibility of residents for leisure activities. Furthermore, it expands the development of SUMPs with more regional recreational connections.

Collaborative partners
HZ University of Applied Sciences
ANWB
Visit Brabant
Smartwayz
Gemeente Schouwen-Duiveland
Gemeente Texel
Gemeente Hollands Kroon
Gemeente Schagen
Gemeente Drimmelen
Gemeente Altena
Gemeente Dordrecht
Nationaal Park De Biesbosch
Gemeente Vaals
Gemeente Eijsden-Margraten
Gemeente Valkenburg aan de Geul
Gemeente Gulpen-Wittem
Visit Zuid Limburg