The Zeeland Movement Towards a Healthy Region

This article was written for Uncover magazine – From Global to Ground (10th edition). You can read the full magazine here. 

Author: Noëlle Verhage is a Project Manager and Researcher at HZ University of Applied Sciences, where she works as Transition Manager for the SPRONG Programme in Zeeland on behalf of the Healthy Region Research Group. 

The hospitality sector
The hospitality sector is of enormous value to Zeeland, with nearly 22 million overnight stays, 12.5 million international day visits, and tens of millions of leisure activities undertaken by Zeeland residents. Restaurants, shops, museums, day-trip facilities, events, and (green) routes make the region vibrant and provide meeting places that stimulate physical activity, relaxation, and social interaction - benefiting both residents and visitors. At the same time, this strengthens both the economic and social values of the region.

The hospitality sector creates crossovers with societal challenges such as coastal reinforcement, climate adaptation, nature restoration, energy, agriculture, health, spatial development, and mobility. In this way, solutions emerge that address societal challenges while enabling new forms of local experiences. All these effects contribute to Zeeland as a healthy region and underline the key role of the hospitality sector.

Understanding a Healthy Region
With this broader perspective as a starting point, the question arises: what makes a region a  ‘Healthy Region’? What does theory say, and are we already doing more in practice than we realise?

Olaf Timmermans (HZ University of Applied Sciences) describes a Healthy Region as the integration of several disciplines, including sports and physical activity, vitality, tourism, welfare, and healthcare. Entrepreneurs, policy-makers, governments, and users collaborate on initiatives around these themes that create added value for residents, guests, and the (Zeeland) economy.

To further understand the concept of Healthy Region, international, national, and regional sources, like Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands, SDG Netherlands, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, World Health Organization (WHO), Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), Institute for Positive Health (iPH) and the Province of Zeeland were also consulted to provide further interpretation and depth. It revealed that not all sources use or define the term ‘Healthy Region’ in the same way. Often, the concept of a ‘healthy living environment’ is used instead. Both concepts are strongly interconnected: they complement each other and often overlap.

A healthy living environment focuses on the immediate surroundings in which people live, work, and spend their daily lives. It encourages healthy behaviour through clean air, sufficient green space, opportunities for physical activity, and social factors such as meeting places and safety. The interpretation of this concept can depend on context and may differ between individuals.

The Healthy Region concept emphasises regional strategies, policies, collaboration, and joint initiatives to promote health on a larger scale. Topics such as a healthy economy, a balanced labour market, and accessible education also play a role. The healthy living environment is a building block within this broader concept, while the region provides the framework in which health is stimulated, for example through cooperation between (local) authorities, organisations and/or sectors.

In practice, the terms healthy living environment and Healthy Region are often used interchangeably. For example, the Province of Zeeland develops its plans and ambitions at the regional level, while referring to a healthy and safe living environment. In practice, scale levels and terminology therefore overlap. Rather than problematic, this reflects an integrated theme that cannot be captured in a single definition or scale. The shared core nevertheless provides a solid basis for further development within the SPRONG transition arena.

Hospitality as enabler
The hospitality sector can play a key role in realising a Healthy Region. Through its daily contact with residents and visitors and its strong connection with the living environment, it contributes directly to health, well-being, quality of life, and Zeeland’s attractiveness as a place to live, work, and stay.

It is important to note that the sector extends beyond restaurants and accommodation providers, encompassing an ecosystem of leisure activities: from nature and cultural experiences to events, recreation providers, educational institutions, mobility services, and tourist information. Its uniqueness lies in translating abstract policy goals into tangible and experiential practices. This can be expressed in serving healthy, local, and sustainable products, creating meeting places, making business operations more sustainable, or raising awareness around nature, climate and lifestyle.

At the same time, Timmermans and the World Health Organization point to the sector’s dual role: tourism and recreation can contribute to a healthier region, but they can also place pressure on health systems. Tourism is seen as “a dynamic force for health promotion, health equity and health security” and plays an important role in health and well-being. Within this tension lies the opportunity for the hospitality sector to guide positive change, if shaped consciously and carefully.

Conversations with front-runners
Based on the theoretical exploration, a framework was developed to explore how the hospitality sector can contribute to a Healthy Region in Zeeland. This framework was structured around four main themes: 1) healthy and conscious recreation, 2) sustainable and innovative sector, 3) nature values in business operations and offerings, and 4) meaningful work. These themes were used during discussions with front-runners from the hospitality sector, professional experts and researchers from HZ University of Applied Sciences.

The conversations showed that many initiatives are already taking place: investments in sustainability, nature-inclusive entrepreneurship and good employment practices. At the same time, societal developments - such as increasing regulatory pressure, changing visitor flows, a rapidly evolving tourism market, and business transfers within family enterprises - are influencing the sector’s choices and priorities.

Local, sustainable and healthy choices
The conversations revealed a shared interest: several entrepreneurs invest significant effort in short supply chains, healthy menu options, and local and sustainable products, but they also encounter challenges. This formed the basis for a first joint exploration: could these themes initiate a transition that contributes to a Healthy Region?

In autumn 2025, these entrepreneurs met for the first time in what is termed a ‘transition arena’. During several sessions, the challenges of each participant were discussed. It soon became clear that they could strengthen each other with knowledge and experience and were motivated to further develop their (shared) ambitions together. They expressed their commitment to actively driving the transition towards Zeeland as a Healthy Region and have continued meeting monthly ever since.

Work was also carried out on a joint ambition document, based on the Co-Design Canvas by Wina Smeenk. This marked an important first step in making the issue more concrete and positioning the role of the hospitality sector more clearly:

“In 2029, Zeeland is a healthier region, where local, healthy and sustainable products find their way onto plates through Zeeland’s (beach) hospitality sector, collaboration within the chain is self-evident, and the story behind the products is told.”

2026 and beyond
In the coming years, the focus will be on advancing the transition. Together with entrepreneurs, collaboration will be deepened, roles defined, and work aligned more closely with the shared ambition. The ecosystem will be mapped, the definition of short supply chains refined, and front-runners in hospitality, production, transport, and logistics identified. Where possible, existing initiatives will be built upon, while remaining flexible to respond to new needs. Although Zeeland serves as a pilot region, the lessons learned will be widely shared.

Knowledge institutions in the SPRONG project will continue contributing expertise, bringing in existing knowledge, involving students in real-world challenges, and generating new insights to support the transition. The transition manager will continue to fulfil a connecting and facilitating role, steadily advancing the transition towards a Healthy Region. The SPRONG project is supported by Dr. Olaf Timmermans, Professor of the Healthy Region Research Group, and Dr. Jean Marie Buijs, Professor of the Governance Research Group, both affiliated with HZ University of Applied Sciences.