PR 00171 - Design and Develop

Description of the project and the local area

Domburg is a small village on the coast of Walcheren, one of the main former islands of the province Zeeland in the Netherlands.  Coastal communities in the 2 Seas area, such as Domburg, are facing particular common social, demographic and economic challenges related to a specific mix of ageing people, i.e. locals, newcomers, temporary visitors of an increasing average age. As this population puts pressure on health and social care systems, it is important to enable elderly to stay active and independent for longer, to improve their wellbeing and quality of life and to reduce costs and pressure on services.

The SAIL overall objective is to stimulate active ageing and longer independent living by identifying new ways of helping people remain independent for longer, more self-reliant and less dependent on traditional health care and social care services. Different from the current, mono disciplinary apporach, SAIL will introduce a social innovation process of co-creation to identify new partnerships and opportunities, especially in unlikely combinations between different sectors, to develop new, sustainable business ans service models that encourage active ageing.

Domburg is the oldest seaside resort of Zeeland with a large number of tourists, mainly from Germany. The famous doctor Mezger built here already in 1885 the distinctive bath Pavilion building. He was inspired be the bright light and the clean air of Domburg.

The municipality of Veere wants to give Domburg a powerful impulse with the recognition of a badstatus and to the achievement of this profiling as a qualified vitality and wellness destination. Domburg can become of a classic coast destination to a contemporary OASIS by the sea where vitality, wellness and health quality and professional are offered. The underlying goal is the development of a contemporary and high-quality form of tourism that spending via a new impetus and new audiences year round tourism. In March 2014 Domburg was awarded the Badstatus. From that time on Domburg may call itself Bad Domburg. This point in time marks the beginning of a new process. A process to implement, evolve and create more content to the badstatus itself enabling it over time to grow and to mature itself. Both municipality and entrepreneurs play an important role and they have to invest in order to make this work. Therefore the municipality has developed a vision Domburg in 2015.

Commissioned by the municipality of Veere Impuls and the HZ University of Applied Sciences has developed an incentive program in which way the municipality Veere can put health tourism even more on the map. Within this incentive program is the development of Badstatus Domburg one of the example projects. In addition, we started SAIL and acquiring and further development of the badstatus in Domburg is one of the pilots in Zeeland. The development of new products and services in Domburg is predominantly focused on tourists, inhabitants are insufficiently involved.

Finally within the provincial partnership “Healthy in Zeeland” a couple of stakeholders, like Impuls/HZ/Sport Zeeland and so on,  want to help fulfill some of the economical and social opportunities of a healthier way of life.

Assets and resources

Expertise on public health, tourism and health tourism. Experience with projects in the region, familiar with working with local governments, entrepreneurs in tourism and public health. Experience in citizens participation. Knowledge of the local look and feel (by working and living). A network of people in public health, tourism, entrepreneurs and other involved organisations. Resources like health data from the health monitor and from the ‘Staat van Zeeland’ presented in the Zeelandscan and the knowledge of the touristic sector of Kenniscentrum Kusttoerisme.

Geographical setting

Seaside resort Domburg is based in a rural coastal area. Domburg is a village situated near the sea, with a nice long sanded beach behind the dunes. It also has a small strip of forest behind the dunes witch offers a lots of opportunities for walking and relaxation. Domburg is surrounded by agricultural land en small rural villages connected by rural roads and cycle paths. The catchment of participants is on multiple sides, sometimes mixed.

Current situation

As mentioned above, Domburg has awarded the Badstatus in 2014. The SAIL project builds on and broadens the challenge to implement the badstatus. Domburg has a high level of services like a supermarket, a lot of shops (high segment), a lot of hotels, restaurants, campsites, holidayhomes, church, city hall, village house, swimming pool, a lot of events during touristic season and a good organized entrepreneural Association (OBD).

Some inhabitants are facing nuisance of the great amount of tourists. There are several movements of the inhabitants in the village who are concerned about the viability of Domburg. Some entrepreneurs are facing opposition from these movements.

There is a lack of a common vision on development of the badstatus. There exists a difference between the entrepreneurs committed to the badstatus and the way they are involved.

Demand

We have a list of values we collected during our interviews and meetings.

• Safety (not going out when its dark outside)
• Social Safety
• Independance (doing what you want)
• Social network
• Meet people and be together (eating together)
• Cosiness (being together and doing things together)
• Products and services on high level
• Fellow humanity (looking after each other)
• Involvement
• Be active (mainly for the younger < 70 years)
• Creativity
• Innovative versus Traditional/ Conservative (little readiness to change)
• Sobriety
• Connection with your roots
• Celebrating life (mainly for people moved to Domburg)
• Religion (mainly the autochthonous)

We forsee with the chosen pilotsideas that we meet a part of these values (for example: eat and cook together will meet the need of being a part of a social network, to meet people and be together and looking after each other).

Expansion

This pilot is new and therefore we have to start implementing from bottom up within a relatively new network.

Information capture for your project

See the following appendices:

• Logboek Domburg
• Plan Domburg eet gezond

Acceptability

• We interviewed several tourists on the boulevard of Domburg. It is very difficult to involve tourists in stakeholdermeetings.
• An elderly volunteer interviewed inhabitants and second home residients. We invited the people who were willing to participate, we invited them for the stakeholdersmeetings, however they didn't show up.
• We are facing difficulties the availability of students for doing interviews with tourists, also because of the german language.
• In the meantime we find a german speaking student who interviewed a couple (7) tourists.
• We expierence barriers to ask touristic entrepreneurs involving their guests with interviews of stakeholdersmeetings, it feels like harassment. Is is also difficult to involve the tourists in stakeholdermeetings, because we organise the meetings during low season (otherwise entrepreneurs don't have time).
• Due to the change of conceptperson at the municipality of Veere we faced difficulties in explaning and leveling the ideas of SAIL and particularly the social innovation proces. In addition that's why there is no common need on this project anymore. Within the municipality there is lack of integral policy and collaboration on this issue.
• The finance of pilotideas is not forseen in the project and that means that it costs time to arrange finance. One of consequences is a delay in time on testing the pilots.

Adaptation

There are no changes at the original plan so far.

Key stakeholders and relations

• The welfare committee of Veere
• Welfare organisation Domburg
• OBD (Association of Entrepreneurs of Domburg)
• Municipality of Veere
• Wim de Regt as Foodexpert
• Hans Everse as Foodexpert

Referenties

• Plan Domburg eet gezond, Tatiana Booi/ Estherella van Klinken, Impuls/GGD Zeeland, 8 juli 2018.