The former PPP cottage is situated at one of Marken’s main visitor reception points. Every day, many visitors pass through here on their way to explore the peninsula. Driven by the desire to offer these visitors an immediate warm welcome and useful information, the municipality Waterland has asked the Laag Holland Tourist Office to take over the running of the information point.
Visitors can come here for tourist information about Marken and the Laag Holland region, walking and cycling routes, places of interest, events and practical enquiries. In addition, ‘Coffee to go’ is available, and there is a special range of Marken products and souvenirs on sale. This range has been put together in collaboration with three local businesses on the island, so that visitors can immediately experience authentic products from Marken. Two new staff members have been recruited to run the information point. They welcome visitors three days a week, offering personalised attention, local knowledge and practical tips to ensure a successful visit.
The hospitality point is explicitly not a replacement for the existing tourist information office on Marken. Both locations fulfil their own distinct roles within the island’s tourist reception services. Whilst the tourist information office has been an important facility for visitors for many years, the information point focuses on providing an initial welcome to the many visitors arriving on Marken by private transport or by bus. This ensures that these visitors are immediately shown the ropes and inspired to stay longer on Marken and in the Laag Holland region.
“We are proud that the municipality Waterland has placed its trust in us to manage this important visitor reception centre,” says Shirley Benoit, director of the Laag Holland Tourist Office. “Hospitality begins with a warm welcome. Here, we can immediately assist visitors with practical information, inspire them with the most beautiful spots on Marken and encourage them to discover the rest of Laag Holland as well. We also see this location as a complement to the existing tourist information centre on Marken. Together, we are strengthening the hospitality and the quality of tourist information provision on the island.”
The contract also ties in with ongoing collaboration within the region. From 2027, the Laag Holland Tourism Bureau and the tourist information organisations in the region will be joining forces. The operation of the hospitality centre on Marken therefore represents a significant step towards a recognisable and future-proof tourism service, whilst retaining the knowledge and commitment of the local tourist information centres.
With the new information point, Waterland Municipality and the Laag Holland Tourist Board are jointly investing in a warm welcome for visitors. This ensures that a visit to Marken begins immediately with personalised attention, inspiration and practical information, at a location where thousands of visitors each year set off on their journey of discovery across the peninsula.
