The industry cluster of tourism, recreation and leisure transforms the landscape of many regions. As a result, regions are 'leisuring', experiencing on-going transformative processes that are designed to foster touristic, recreational and residential demands. This thesis focuses on socio-spatial patterns that emerge, examines directions in which places evolve, distinguishes transitions, and discusses adaptive planning strategies and reflexive governance approaches to guide places in their evolution in a meaningful way.

Leisuring Landscapes presents the results of a multiple case study research. The case of the Wadden Sea Region includes how the leisure economy is emerging locally mainly in spite of and not because of a strong restrictive planning regime. The case of the Greater Hague Region examines the influence of planning on peri-urban areas gradually becoming part of the urban fabric and transitioning in the direction of metropolitan parks. The case studies on the Frisian Lake District and Geopark Hondsrug examine whether the planning approach of strategic storytelling is a catalyst for the leisuring of regions. The final case study examines the policy approach of the province of Friesland to stimulate spatial quality – a fundamental pillar of the development of the leisure economy.

The thesis draws attention to a nonlinear perspective on how region evolve. It argues that spatial planners should therefore focus on the adaptive capacity of places so to navigate (themselves) through a contextual environment that is changing continually. Moreover, it identifies a set of conditions that help planners to do so.

About the author

Stefan Hartman (1984) works as a senior lecturer and researcher at Stenden University, Leeuwarden, and its affiliated research department European Tourism Futures Institute (ETFI). His research interests include spatial planning, sustainable tourism and leisure, and multilevel governance. He has a particular interest in theories of complex systems, transitions and the management and governance of adaptive capacity. In his current work he has multiple roles including those of researcher, lecturer, education developer, project leader, consultant, guest speaker and taskforce coordinator at the Centre of Expertise Leisure Tourism & Hospitality (CELTH).