Uncover:
Uncover is het tijdschrift van de Academy for Leisure van de Breda University of Applied Sciences. Dit magazine verschijnt jaarlijks. Alle artikelen worden online op het kennisplatform van NRIT beschikbaar gesteld. In Uncover:
24/11/25 ·
Despite the high density of visitor attractions in the Netherlands, many are not (fully) accessible. Where attention is paid to accessibility, the focus is often on technical and operational aspects, and hardly on the experience. This is surprising, as experience is often regarded as leisure’s ‘core product’. While universal design principles can enhance attractions, adapting well-established ones with long-existing facilities is not immediately straightforward. We therefore suggest working with evidence-based (re)developments on the basis of experience measurements that consider all types of visitors to effectively inform design interventions. However, experience measurements have been developed mainly by, for and on people without disabilities. In a research project co-funded by CELTH and leisure industry partners, we aimed to study how these measurement tools can be redeveloped to validly capture the experience of everyone, regardless of the challenges they might have.
17/11/25 ·
The positive impact that leisure can have on people’s lives has been studied extensively. This usually concerns such things as having fun, finding meaning, innovation, identity formation, talent development, physical and mental health, social cohesion, diversity and inclusion. These are also the factors that are often mentioned when the value of street culture and sports are discussed. And that is the impact that policymakers hope to achieve by investing in street culture and sports facilities in their city or municipality.
17/11/25 ·
Can you name a medium that has completely disappeared in the last 300 years? This is the question we often begin with in our presentations. It is harder to answer than you might expect, because while new media emerge constantly, old media rarely vanish entirely. Instead, they evolve. This perspective is central to our work in the professorship of Digital Media Concepts (DMC).
17/11/25 ·
The tourism industry has long been a driver of economic growth and cultural exchange. However, it is also one of the fastest-growing contributors to global carbon emissions. As the climate crisis reaches existential tipping points, the tourism sector continues to lag behind in its transition towards sustainability. Despite growing awareness, no country has successfully reduced its tourism-related emissions, raising urgent questions about how the industry can evolve while staying within planetary boundaries. Traditionally, sustainable tourism has been framed through a destination-focused lens, emphasising eco-friendly accommodation and local activities while largely ignoring the role of mobility. But the increasing travel distances and reliance on high-carbon transport - particularly aviation and private cars - are the real drivers of the sector’s growing emissions. While road and rail transport offer viable decarbonisation pathways, aviation remains one of the hardest sectors to transition to low-carbon alternatives. Long-haul travel has an outsized impact: just 20% of all tourism trips contribute to 80% of the sector’s emissions. This raises critical questions about the future of tourism. If the sector is to become truly sustainable, there is a need to fundamentally rethink how and where people go while travelling on holidays.
17/11/25 ·
The Creative and Entertainment Games professorship is about creating knowledge and insights related to commercial and artistic video games. Some might see these as trivial, but “53% of Europeans enjoy playing video games, including 46.7% of women and girls” and the average player age is 32 (Ipsos.com, 2024). This is not a niche hobby, and it deserves to be taken seriously.
17/11/25 ·
We all have an innate desire to lead lives that are rich with meaning and fulfilment. As Eagleton (2007) beautifully puts it, the essence of life is its meaning, suggesting that our lives gain significance through their inherent purpose. Cottingham (2003) echoes this sentiment, describing a meaningful life as one filled with genuinely worthwhile activities that foster a sense of flourishing. Often, we think of leisure as simply a break from our busy schedules - to relax and unwind. But leisure can and should be so much more than that. It can play a crucial role in shaping our experiences and overall well-being. This article explores the concept of ‘meaningful leisure’ diving into various facets and examining how leisure impacts resilience and diversity within specific contexts. The aim of this article is to provide an understanding of how leisure activities can promote personal growth, social cohesion, and overall well-being.
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10/11/25 ·
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the world around us at a breathtaking pace. From health care to climate modelling, from traffic systems to cultural preservation, AI is becoming a core component of how societies tackle complex challenges. But this digital revolution brings not only opportunities; it also demands reflection, responsibility, and above all, direction. What values guide the design of AI? Who benefits from its deployment? And how can we ensure that AI contributes to a more sustainable and inclusive future? These questions are at the heart of one of the core elements of an exciting new European collaboration: KreativEU. By heading this investigation dedicated to Ethical-by-Design and Sustainable-by-Design AI, BUas places itself in the European spotlight as a front--runner in value-driven technological innovation.
10/11/25 ·
The professorship in Events and Placemaking explores events and places as dynamic settings for leisure practices, in which communities, identities, and meanings are continuously negotiated and constructed. We view events and places as meeting grounds: environments where like-minded individuals come together through shared rituals and communal activities, fostering a sense of community and contributing to social cohesion. At the same time, events and places also enable encounters between people from diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives. By examining these processes in the context of both local and global networks, the professorship generates insights into the different types of value created through and within these spaces.
10/11/25 ·
Embracing Digital Transformation in Cultural Tourism shapes our identity, unites communities, and carries the weight of history. It is both a reflection of our past and a foundation for our future. The professorship in Digital Transformation in Cultural Tourism at BUas stands at the crossroads of cultural heritage and digital innovation, aiming to make history tangible, relevant, and engaging in the modern world.
10/11/25 ·
At BUas, the professorship of Storytelling focuses on both research and design/development. We aim to explore the connections between storytelling in leisure, tourism, and hospitality, and visitor experiences. The professorship also designs story-based concepts and creates storytelling products for the leisure and tourism industry, as well as the cultural heritage field. In all our research and design projects, our goal is to evoke meaningful and valuable experiences for visitors, residents, and industry partners. Through storytelling, people can ‘learn without being taught’, as stories transmit emotional and symbolic values, helping people attach meaning to places, images or objects. We follow Lukas (The Immersive Worlds Handbook, 2013) in focusing on ‘evoking emotions, memories, feelings, and sentiments that all people can enjoy or appreciate, regardless of their backgrounds’. Several of our projects involve interactive digital storytelling, allowing users to influence the flow or content of the story.
10/11/25 ·
Human life consists of a dynamic, continuous and ongoing sequence of experiences. From the mundane routines of daily living to once-in-a-lifetime events, individuals are continually exposed to stimuli that may or may not leave lasting impressions. While most experiences quickly fade from memory, a select few become memorable, meaningful or even transformative, shaping identity, goals, and overall well-being. What makes experiences memorable has been the subject of both theoretical thinking and empirical research (Bastiaansen et al., 2019; Duerden et al., 2018). However, much less is known about what makes experiences meaningful. A recent publication (Bastiaansen & Duerden, 2024) theoretically digs into the concept of meaningful experiences, and proposes a number of targeted design strategies for creating meaningful experiences. Here we provide an overview of the theoretical proposal and the ensuing empirical agenda developed in that publication.
03/11/25 ·
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.
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24/11/25 ·
Despite the high density of visitor attractions in the Netherlands, many are not (fully) accessible. Where attention is paid to accessibility, the focus is often on technical and operational aspects, and hardly on the experience. This is surprising, as experience is often regarded as leisure’s ‘core product’. While universal design principles can enhance attractions, adapting well-established ones with long-existing facilities is not immediately straightforward. We therefore suggest working with evidence-based (re)developments on the basis of experience measurements that consider all types of visitors to effectively inform design interventions. However, experience measurements have been developed mainly by, for and on people without disabilities. In a research project co-funded by CELTH and leisure industry partners, we aimed to study how these measurement tools can be redeveloped to validly capture the experience of everyone, regardless of the challenges they might have.
17/11/25 ·
Can you name a medium that has completely disappeared in the last 300 years? This is the question we often begin with in our presentations. It is harder to answer than you might expect, because while new media emerge constantly, old media rarely vanish entirely. Instead, they evolve. This perspective is central to our work in the professorship of Digital Media Concepts (DMC).
17/11/25 ·
The Creative and Entertainment Games professorship is about creating knowledge and insights related to commercial and artistic video games. Some might see these as trivial, but “53% of Europeans enjoy playing video games, including 46.7% of women and girls” and the average player age is 32 (Ipsos.com, 2024). This is not a niche hobby, and it deserves to be taken seriously.
10/11/25 ·
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the world around us at a breathtaking pace. From health care to climate modelling, from traffic systems to cultural preservation, AI is becoming a core component of how societies tackle complex challenges. But this digital revolution brings not only opportunities; it also demands reflection, responsibility, and above all, direction. What values guide the design of AI? Who benefits from its deployment? And how can we ensure that AI contributes to a more sustainable and inclusive future? These questions are at the heart of one of the core elements of an exciting new European collaboration: KreativEU. By heading this investigation dedicated to Ethical-by-Design and Sustainable-by-Design AI, BUas places itself in the European spotlight as a front--runner in value-driven technological innovation.
10/11/25 ·
Embracing Digital Transformation in Cultural Tourism shapes our identity, unites communities, and carries the weight of history. It is both a reflection of our past and a foundation for our future. The professorship in Digital Transformation in Cultural Tourism at BUas stands at the crossroads of cultural heritage and digital innovation, aiming to make history tangible, relevant, and engaging in the modern world.
10/11/25 ·
Human life consists of a dynamic, continuous and ongoing sequence of experiences. From the mundane routines of daily living to once-in-a-lifetime events, individuals are continually exposed to stimuli that may or may not leave lasting impressions. While most experiences quickly fade from memory, a select few become memorable, meaningful or even transformative, shaping identity, goals, and overall well-being. What makes experiences memorable has been the subject of both theoretical thinking and empirical research (Bastiaansen et al., 2019; Duerden et al., 2018). However, much less is known about what makes experiences meaningful. A recent publication (Bastiaansen & Duerden, 2024) theoretically digs into the concept of meaningful experiences, and proposes a number of targeted design strategies for creating meaningful experiences. Here we provide an overview of the theoretical proposal and the ensuing empirical agenda developed in that publication.
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17/11/25 ·
The positive impact that leisure can have on people’s lives has been studied extensively. This usually concerns such things as having fun, finding meaning, innovation, identity formation, talent development, physical and mental health, social cohesion, diversity and inclusion. These are also the factors that are often mentioned when the value of street culture and sports are discussed. And that is the impact that policymakers hope to achieve by investing in street culture and sports facilities in their city or municipality.
17/11/25 ·
The tourism industry has long been a driver of economic growth and cultural exchange. However, it is also one of the fastest-growing contributors to global carbon emissions. As the climate crisis reaches existential tipping points, the tourism sector continues to lag behind in its transition towards sustainability. Despite growing awareness, no country has successfully reduced its tourism-related emissions, raising urgent questions about how the industry can evolve while staying within planetary boundaries. Traditionally, sustainable tourism has been framed through a destination-focused lens, emphasising eco-friendly accommodation and local activities while largely ignoring the role of mobility. But the increasing travel distances and reliance on high-carbon transport - particularly aviation and private cars - are the real drivers of the sector’s growing emissions. While road and rail transport offer viable decarbonisation pathways, aviation remains one of the hardest sectors to transition to low-carbon alternatives. Long-haul travel has an outsized impact: just 20% of all tourism trips contribute to 80% of the sector’s emissions. This raises critical questions about the future of tourism. If the sector is to become truly sustainable, there is a need to fundamentally rethink how and where people go while travelling on holidays.
17/11/25 ·
We all have an innate desire to lead lives that are rich with meaning and fulfilment. As Eagleton (2007) beautifully puts it, the essence of life is its meaning, suggesting that our lives gain significance through their inherent purpose. Cottingham (2003) echoes this sentiment, describing a meaningful life as one filled with genuinely worthwhile activities that foster a sense of flourishing. Often, we think of leisure as simply a break from our busy schedules - to relax and unwind. But leisure can and should be so much more than that. It can play a crucial role in shaping our experiences and overall well-being. This article explores the concept of ‘meaningful leisure’ diving into various facets and examining how leisure impacts resilience and diversity within specific contexts. The aim of this article is to provide an understanding of how leisure activities can promote personal growth, social cohesion, and overall well-being.
10/11/25 ·
The professorship in Events and Placemaking explores events and places as dynamic settings for leisure practices, in which communities, identities, and meanings are continuously negotiated and constructed. We view events and places as meeting grounds: environments where like-minded individuals come together through shared rituals and communal activities, fostering a sense of community and contributing to social cohesion. At the same time, events and places also enable encounters between people from diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives. By examining these processes in the context of both local and global networks, the professorship generates insights into the different types of value created through and within these spaces.
10/11/25 ·
At BUas, the professorship of Storytelling focuses on both research and design/development. We aim to explore the connections between storytelling in leisure, tourism, and hospitality, and visitor experiences. The professorship also designs story-based concepts and creates storytelling products for the leisure and tourism industry, as well as the cultural heritage field. In all our research and design projects, our goal is to evoke meaningful and valuable experiences for visitors, residents, and industry partners. Through storytelling, people can ‘learn without being taught’, as stories transmit emotional and symbolic values, helping people attach meaning to places, images or objects. We follow Lukas (The Immersive Worlds Handbook, 2013) in focusing on ‘evoking emotions, memories, feelings, and sentiments that all people can enjoy or appreciate, regardless of their backgrounds’. Several of our projects involve interactive digital storytelling, allowing users to influence the flow or content of the story.
03/11/25 ·
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.
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03/04/26
De Europese Commissie kiest voor een pragmatische stabilisering van het Europese emissiehandelssysteem (ETS) om prijsschokken te beperken zonder de klimaatkoers te wijzigen. Dit raakt de luchtvaart en luchthavens in Europa.
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03/04/26
Voor de toeristische sector een onverwacht unieke positie en kans duikt op in de CBS-cijfers. We zijn de grootste exporteur van cacaoproducten van de wereld. De numnmer 2 van dit moment, Duitsland, ontvang een kwart van al die heerlijke chocolade.
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01/04/26
De Landelijke Data Alliantie (LDA) presenteert de vernieuwde Datalandschap Wegwijzer 2.0: een compleet geactualiseerde gids voor iedereen die met toeristische data werkt – van beleidsmakers tot bestemmingsmarketeers en onderzoekers.
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01/04/26
Sunweb Group maakte op 31 maart bekend dat Mieke De Schepper heeft besloten terug te treden als CEO en Sunweb te verlaten.
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01/04/26
Reizigers in Zuid-Limburg maakten op 31 maart alvast kennis met de nieuwe Maaslijn-treinen.
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01/04/26
De recreatiesector staat aan de vooravond van een nieuwe economische realiteit. Dat stelt Richard de Bruin namens Stichting Bureau Toerisme (BT), op basis van actuele marktontwikkelingen en signalen uit het werkveld.
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01/04/26
Een hotelzwembad zonder handdoekenstress — dat leek deze week ineens binnen handbereik. Touroperator Dé VakantieDiscounter kondigde de introductie aan van Liggynog, een slimme zwembadrobot die onbeheerde handdoeken verwijdert en ligbedden weer vrijmaakt voor andere gasten.
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01/04/26
Het Apple Museum in Utrecht opent officieel zijn deuren voor het publiek op 2 april in De Muur in Utrecht, Nederland.
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