Create the optimal night-time experience for Wadden tourists: ‘Donkerte van de Wadden’ programme launches advice package for business owners in Friesland, Groningen, and Noord-Holland

The ‘Donkerte van de Wadden’ (Darkness of the Wadden) programme is launching an online advice package for leisure and tourism business owners this week. The programme is focused on developing sustainable ‘darkness tourism’ along the Wadden Sea coast. The aim is for tourists and business owners to discover and experience the unique darkness of the Wadden Sea world heritage area, and to become aware of the importance of strengthening and maintaining this.

‘Donkerte van de Wadden’ is an initiative by the three northern environment federations (Milieufederaties), the University of Groningen, the Wadden Society (Waddenvereniging), the Society for the Preservation of Nature in the Netherlands (Natuurmonumenten), and the National Forest Service (Staatsbosbeheer).

The advice package offers enthusiastic business owners practical tools to create the ultimate night-time experience, and was developed in collaboration with business owners situated along the Wadden Sea coast. Combatting light pollution is essential to experiencing the night in all its glory, because the less light there is, the more stars become visible. ‘Donkerte van de Wadden’ advises business owners to avoid unnecessary lighting, to switch to smart lighting, and to tune the colour of their lighting to the characteristics of nocturnal wildlife in the area. This way, the night will become darker, and the unique quality of night-time darkness in the Wadden region can be discovered and experienced. Nocturnal plants and wildlife will then emerge, and visitors will be able to gaze at the starry heavens above, which are the clearest in the Netherlands. On a really dark and clear night, even the Milky Way becomes visible. In brief, ‘darkening’ tourism businesses offers the opportunity for unique ‘darkness tourism’.

A good example is Landalpark Esonstad at the Dark Sky Park Lauwersmeer, where, in the context of the advice package, nightly inspections (lighting scans during the night) are carried out by an independent lighting expert. Based on tailored advice formulated by the expert, the lighting in and around the park can be made smarter and more sustainable. The park manager explains: ‘It is fantastic to have all of the expertise ready in one go to make the right considerations on location. We have clearly noticed that guests value the importance of the climate, and also quietness and darkness, more and more; we can make the area around the Lauwersmeer distinctive in this way.’

An inspiration guide for night-time activities has also been included in the advice package issued by ‘Donkerte van de Wadden’, comprising a range of examples on various topics: flora and fauna, night-time experiences, and culinary and cultural activities. Imagine, for example, having a picnic in the dark, searching for owls at night, touring the Wadden Sea by boat, or attending an intimate night-time concert. ‘Donkerte van de Wadden’ issues advice and custom solutions regarding the development of night-time activities, through which it wishes to promote sustainable ‘darkness tourism’ in the entire Wadden region.

The goal is to have a chain of night-time experience locations along the Wadden Sea coast, from Noord-Holland via Friesland to Groningen, by 2025. At the Wieringer Eiland Museum, a ‘star barn’ has since been set up, where visitors can look up at the night sky. Tourists can also go on a night walk in the ‘dunes of darkness’ on the island of Schiermonnikoog. And later this year and next, night gardens will be set up in the municipality of Waadhoeke, where visitors can discover nocturnal flora and fauna. To experience the darkness of the Wadden region, the ‘Nacht van het Wad’ (Night of the Wadden) will be organized three times per year, around the changes in season. Visitors will be able to participate in a number of night-time activities, such as an excursion through the Dark Sky Park Lauwersmeer led by a forest ranger, dining by candlelight, or stargazing.

Until the end of 2025, ‘Donkerte van de Wadden’ will be dedicated to developing a chain of night-time experience locations along the Wadden Sea coast, where night-time activities are organized during the ‘Nacht van het Wad’ and during the year. In addition to the advice package for business owners, other products are also in development, such as experiment boxes that visitors can borrow for research in the dark, as well as night-time travel guides for the Wadden region. The ‘Donkerte van de Wadden’ programme inspires business owners to participate in the development of sustainable ‘darkness tourism’ and to encourage visitors of the Wadden region to take part in night-time activities. ‘Darkness tourism’ involves discovering and experiencing night-time in the Wadden region, and contributes to promoting this core quality of the Wadden Sea world heritage area. It creates awareness around protecting and maintaining darkness in the Wadden region.