In the Achterhoek, the VVVs are working on a transformation from shop to inspiration point. The VVV Inspiratiepunt Winterswijk is the first result of this. Joris Bengevoord, Mayor Winterswijk, is proud that his village is the first. Gienne te Gronde, site manager of VVV Winterswijk, says in advance: “We have been working together with Achterhoek Tourism for a year now to take the information to the next level. We are in need of a new interior and can do it now”.
The concept applied in the Achterhoek has already been tried and tested in the province of Zeeland. In this new set-up, a number of themes will receive special attention. For Winterswijk these are the quarry, the centre, the border and the landscape. The inspiration point has retained the paper leaflets and routes, but has also become much more interactive. For example, films can be watched and there are screens on which visitors can compose their own routes.
In cooperation with project leader DestinationX and design agency Potztausend, Bruns has transformed VVV Winterswijk into a VVV Inspiration Point.
Here the visitor gets a good picture of various experiences in Winterswijk. Not only the information inspires the visitor about the village. The design also reflects the natural surroundings in the materials, colours and illustrated trees used.
Interactive elements have been added to the inspiration point in various places. Upon entering the building, the visitor sees changing photos in a projection. Further on at the story tree, stories of real Winterswijkers can be heard. For example, a guide proudly tells about the Stone Quarry and 11-year-old Jorn about the gnomes.
The inspiration point is provided with a lot of graphics. Special viewers have been mounted on part of these, where the visitor can see images of animals that occur in the National Landscape Winterswijk. At the graph about the quarry, the visitor discovers finds of the quarry in special drawers. Finally, all kinds of images of the sights in Winterswijk and the Achterhoek are available on a touch table.
Mayor Bengevoord is enthusiastic about the revamped VVV Inspiratiepunt. “Every year we receive many tourists in Winterswijk, who with the new inspiration point we want to inspire to discover even more than they had planned beforehand. The special wall across the border region also fits in well with our close cooperation with our German neighbours. An asset for Winterswijk”. Branch manager Gienne says about Bruns: “The skills and expertise of the Bruns employees are: Excellent! Highly skilled employees who are also very pleasant to work with”.
Hip & Stijl photography