Emmen turned orange a year ago. The royal family celebrated King’s Day in the city and the region on 27 April 2024. Now, on the eve of a new royal visit, this time to Doetinchem, Emmen looks back. What did the party actually deliver?
There is no hard figures. But anyone who hears the stories sees that the impact does not have to be imprisoned in graphs. Emmen was seen, felt and polite. “We see people who say:” Hey, I saw this on TV, how nice it looked, “says Bea Venema of the tourist information point. “And they are now coming to take a look.” It is the start of a series of observations that, although not measurable, are telling.
Also at Wildlands they notice the aftermath of King’s Day. Although no direct research has been done into the effect on visitor numbers, spokesperson Hanneke Wijske points up on a clear line. “We know that the number of visitors has grown. King’s Day has had a major influence on that. As a park you get more brand awareness, people catch something from the park on TV, you will hear something about it, and then you will be again top of mind. “
With a visitor growth of 3 percent, good for more than 951,000 people. The park looks back with satisfaction on the past year. And not just Wildlands was happy. The visit of the royal family brought a sense of pride that can still be felt. “We are especially proud of what we have put together. Emmen was put in a positive light that day, that feeling lingers.”
Positive sounds also sound from the town hall. Spokesperson Mirjam Blaak sees how Emmen benefits on different fronts. “No concrete research has been done, but we do hear that the number of visits to Wildlands and local hotels, for example, has increased.” More than just tourism fell into place: according to her, companies are also interested in settling in the city. “Emmen has been put on the map positively. We hope that that effect will continue and that we can welcome many holidaymakers next summer.”
The municipality previously sent an evaluation to the council, in which the impact of King’s Day was summarized. It was not only the appreciation of the king himself. “It could do much less,” he joked on departure, but also the enormous reach: with 2.2 million live viewers and another 1.6 million for the repetition, it was the best viewed King’s Day ever.
What remains goes beyond media attention or visitor figures. The feeling of pride dominates. Long before 27 April, King’s Day lived in the municipality: Residents submitted more than five hundred ideas for the program, four thousand children signed so -called ‘Doedels’ and 180 activities were organized in villages and neighborhoods. “Emmen colored orange, from the city to the outlying areas,” the evaluation says.
That feeling of togetherness is difficult to measure, but according to many there is indeed present. King’s Day has released something in the neighborhoods, with entrepreneurs, within the culture sector and with the residents themselves. Emmen got the leading role on the Nationale Toneel. And that lingers. As the king himself said, on the final stage in the Atlas Theater: “You want to live in Emmen.”
View the retrospect below on King’s Day that we made at the end of 2024: