IJsselmeer Area 2050: Scenarios for the Future of Recreation and Tourism

The IJsselmeer area faces major challenges, from nature development and the energy transition to climate adaptation. In 2018, more than sixty parties, including provinces, municipalities, water boards, businesses and nature organisations, signed the Agenda IJsselmeer Area 2050, which includes the shared ambition to make the area an attractive and diverse destination.

Because recreation and tourism are closely intertwined with all these other themes, the region needed a future vision that took the uncertainties of the coming decades into account.

In the first phase, experts identified trends that could influence recreation and tourism until 2050. The two most influential and uncertain driving forces led to four scenarios: Palm Island, Water Arena, Newest Wilderness and Archipelago. In the second phase, stakeholders used these scenarios to define the area’s core values and a desirable future vision. In the third phase, five regional sessions translated that vision into development paths for each part of the region. ETFI designed and facilitated the sessions and wrote the scenarios.

In June 2022, Sweco delivered the interactive final report IJsselmeer Region: the Hospitable Front Yard, with four vivid scenarios, a future vision and a development path to achieve it. The results fed into the integrated Future Vision for the IJsselmeer Region in 2050.

Because the scenarios can be regularly checked against new developments, the region can adapt its plans in time and become more resilient to change.