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Efteling must cut its nitrogen emissions or cap its visitor numbers to five million people a year
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 31 Jan 2022
Efteling welcomed more than five million visitors between 2017 and 2019 Credit: Efteling
One of Europe’s most-visited theme parks must cut its emissions or welcome no more than five million visitors annually, a judge has ruled.
Efteling in the Netherlands is located adjacent to the Loonse en Drunense Duinen National Park, with increased visitors causing increased pressure on the protected land.
In 2016, it was ruled by the local authority that the theme park could host a maximum of five million visitors, however, that figure was exceeded in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2020 and 2021, Covid restrictions kept visitor numbers under the limit.
Despite the ruling and the rule-breaking, the province of North Brabant reportedly did not step in as closure of the park would have a significant impact on Efteling and the local economy.
AD reports that the province must decide within 10 weeks to enforce the five million visitor limit unless Efteling can prove that it has taken enough nitrogen-limiting measures to counteract this increase.
Efteling has called the ruling “challenging”, which the operator said was partly due to “changing legislation regarding nitrogen”.
In June last year, Efteling had plans approved for a major expansion, with the three-phase project set to be completed in 2030. The first phase of construction is planned on the eastern side of the existing park.
Theme park
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