In het hart van het Noorderpark hebben provincie Utrecht, Hoogheemraadschap de Stichtse Rijnlanden (HDSR), Waterschap Amstel, Gooi en Vecht en gemeenten De Bilt, Stichtse Vecht en Utrecht op 31 oktober 2025 hun handtekening gezet onder een samenwerkingsovereenkomst. Het grote park biedt onder meer ruimte voor recreatie.

De EU-regels voor asielzoekers om te mogen werken gaan veranderen in 2026. Nu mogen asielzoekers die in de asielprocedure zitten na 6 maanden gaan werken, straks mag dat al na 3 maanden nadat hun asielprocedure is gaan lopen. Dit geldt alleen voor asielzoekers die een grotere kans hebben om in Nederland mogen blijven.

Is het een trend of een lichte afwijking in de boekingen? De nazomer zet meer reizigers aan tot het boeken van een reis. Het gaat om 13% meer reizigers in de maand september en branchevereniging ANVR ziet het als een duidelijk signaal.

For decades, fashion consumption has been deeply intertwined with leisure, shaping not only how we spend our free time but also how we construct our identities. The rise of fast fashion and mass production has made clothing more accessible than ever, turning shopping into a widely embraced pastime rather than a mere necessity. Retail therapy, the act of shopping to improve mood or relieve stress, has become a cultural norm, fuelled by marketing strategies that create desire and reinforce the idea that consumption equates to freedom and self-expression. However, as awareness of environmental and social consequences grows, we are witnessing a shift towards voluntary simplicity in leisure and consumption. Consumers are increasingly questioning the long-standing association between happiness and material accumulation, embracing alternative ways to find fulfilment through mindful consumption, second-hand fashion, and more intentional purchasing habits. This transition signals a potential decline in the dominance of consumer culture, paving the way for a more sustainable and conscious approach to leisure, reclaiming it as a pure dimension of life that is based on creating deeply satisfying experiences rather than spending money.

Over the past couple of years, I have engaged with several platforms representing various sub-sectors of the leisure industries, ranging from theme parks and zoos to recreation and museums. A recurring theme on these platforms is that organisations should provide highly impactful experiences. The belief, driven by seminal works from both the professional and scientific literature, is that success can be achieved by offering meaningful and perhaps even transformative experiences. Although these experience types are certainly impactful, the terms ‘meaningful’ and ‘transformative’ sometimes tend to be taken out of context and become buzzwords instead, leading to the notion that everything must suddenly be meaningful or transformational. This results in imposed meaningfulness or transformation by design, which potentially leads to the opposite effect among consumers instead. Paradoxically, I would therefore argue that sometimes intentionally not designing for meaningfulness might be just as meaningful.

Leisure plays a pivotal role in enhancing the human condition, offering avenues for exploration, growth, and self-actualisation (Kleiber, 2017; Kleiber & McGuire, Leisure & Human Development, 2019; Tapps, Wells, & Parr, 2021). The World Leisure Organization (WLO) emphasises that "well-selected leisure experiences improve quality of life for all - from childhood to later life" (WLO, 2023). This article features the inclusive Samen Dansen (Dancing Together) dance project by Stichting het Gehandicapte Kind, which aims to foster inclusion among children with and without special needs through hip-hop dance classes.

The province of Brabant (the Netherlands) is renowned for its numerous attractions, its picturesque countryside, and its excellent bicycle infrastructure. VisitBrabant Routebureau aims to enhance the province’s recreational offerings through routes based on well-known local stories. Since 2019, the professorship in Storytelling (Breda University of Applied Sciences) and VisitBrabant so far have realised 18 story-based bicycle routes, 12 of which are based on local folk tales. Storytelling is at the core of these routes, because it is a valuable instrument for creating meaningful experiences for visitors. By matching the logic of the storyline with that of the route and the local entrepreneurs, the story-based routes become embedded in the area. When a story derives from the local community, the value of the route stretches beyond the visitor experience. It can reinforce the community’s connection with the story leading to new meaningful experiences. This is the case with the route of The Dancing Cats around the village of Bergeijk.

Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital and largest city, has become a symbol of resilience amidst the ongoing war with Russia. Despite relentless bombings and attacks, the city’s vibrant entertainment and cultural scene has transformed from a source of mere leisure into an essential pillar for mental survival. Theatres, concert venues, and festivals have become sanctuaries for residents, offering solace, unity, and emotional relief in the face of extreme adversity. This article shows how live music in Kyiv has become essential for mental well-being during the war. Through the voices of organisers, musicians, and attendees, the piece highlights how live music has come to provide a powerful escape in the face of war.

Met het Definitieve Ontwerp voor de renovatie van Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen zetten gemeente Rotterdam, het museum en Mecanoo architecten samen een belangrijke stap richting de heropening van een van de meest iconische musea van Nederland.