Rotterdam in development

16 R O T T E R D A M I N D E V E L O P M E N T | 2 0 1 8 he regional Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) is part of the Royal Schiphol Group and facilitates journeys for 1.8 million passengers every year. Offering 2,500 jobs, the airport is an important employer in the region, and in the future it will create even more employment. Another challenge is to attract more tourists to the cities of Rotterdam and The Hague. The increase in technological applications, the growth in market demand and the changing position of airlines require a future strategy that puts the passenger experience and sustainability at its heart. Due to the expansion of the destination network, sustainable area- and real estate development and increased interconnection within the region, RTHA’s role in the Metropolitan Region of Rotterdam and The Hague (MRDH) is ever more integral. Between now and 2025, the airport will become much more interconnected within the region in four strategic areas: realising the ultimate passenger experience; optimising operating performance and increasing sustainability; designing a process for connections with the region; and developing RTHA into a partner in innovation. The airport’s small scale offers flexibility and makes it possible to work with educational institutions and innovative companies to experiment in living labs. ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE Within the frameworks of environmental legislation and the Aviation Policy Memorandum (Luchthavenbesluit), RTHA aims to increase the number of both destinations and passengers. Louwerse: “But growth doesn’t only mean expansion – it is also visible in the ultimate passenger experience. That is very diverse, and a business traveller’s experience may be different from that of a recreational passenger. One person values speed, while someone else is more interested in pleasant and distinctive visitor atmosphere in and around the airport.” The airport’s identity and distinctive quality are important here, as are accessibility and community support. Louwerse: “That’s why we wanted to make the airport site more accessible by bicycle from the surrounding area. Simply installing a bridge could be a solution. For example, that would make it easier for local residents to watch the live broadcast of a major baseball game on the big screen at the hotel next to the terminal. WORKING TOGETHER For Louwerse, optimising operational performance and making it more sustainable is about more than just economic achievements: “You can also find it in the installation of sustainable energy sources along our runways, or in the dialogue with local residents. Some local people feel that the airport’s growth is a sticking point, not least because of potential noise pollution. By staying in touch with local residents and working together, we as an airport engage our neighbours in all developments and we listen to what they have to say.” MAKING ROTTERDAM THE HAGUE AIRPORT INTO A SUSTAINABLE MOTOR FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS THE AMBITION OF DIRECTOR RON LOUWERSE. IT IS AN AMBITION THE AIRPORT IS ALREADY BRINGING TO FRUITION BY PARTNERING WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN THE REGION AND, IN ADDITION TO POINT-TO-POINT FLIGHT CONNECTIONS THROUGHOUT EUROPE, ALSO OFFERING SPACE LOCALLY FOR VARIOUS FUNCTIONS SUCH AS HOSPITALITY, RETAIL, INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATION. Ron Louwerse and Celine Lonis