For Roger Moonen, owner of the only supermarket in the village, the question remains whether he can wait another year for tourists. “I have just invested part of my pension in the shop again. This is the last time. The park is supposed to be ready in 2026, but there are no tiles yet. I even stay open longer in the summers to help the catering industry. If I have to stop, it will mean bankruptcy for the village.”
Necessary step for the future
“Nothing comes easy,” says Mike Schouten. “Petten is already on the map as a beach destination. Even when the campsite was still open, it was difficult to get around. It was completely quiet here in the winter. That will change when we receive tourists all year round. This is a necessary step for the future.”
Jaap Martin of the village council is confident that things will turn out well for Petten: “I hope that in five years we can look back and say: We have had this and look how beautiful it looks now. But it has been a very sour apple. There may be no room for the old campers anymore, but the migration to Petten continues. It will take some time to persevere, but I think it will do Petten good.”