On November 5, 6, and 7, the 2024 edition of Contacta took place in Goes. This is the B2B trade fair for Southwest Netherlands and Flanders, where entrepreneurs and government meet each other. The municipalities of the Bevelanden region (Borsele, Goes, Noord-Beveland, Kapelle, and Reimerswaal) were jointly represented with an attractive and spacious stand. On the first day of the fair, the theme was “Experience the Schelde Delta UNESCO Global Geopark”.
Visitors could enjoy stunning visuals of the area, test their knowledge in a Geopark quiz, contribute to the “Beveland Brainstorm” by marking their favorite Geopark locations, and experience a VR demonstration of two historical sites on the Bevelanden, hosted by the NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research together with Geopark volunteer Bas Chamuleau.
A special highlight was the interactive session led by Alderman Stephan van Belzen (Noord-Beveland), who held a conversation with Walter Jonkers (Geopark), Ilse van Maurik (Camping Anna Friso), and André Vink (Winery and “Passant”) about the opportunities the Geopark offers for entrepreneurship in the Bevelanden region and beyond. Both entrepreneurs have a strong connection with the Geopark. Camping Anna Friso is working on a new experience point along the Eastern Scheldt, and André produces a unique wine aged at a depth of 15 meters in the Eastern Scheldt. The dynamic influence of the water gives the wine a distinctive character, connecting his Bevelanden-grown grapes with the Schelde Delta in a truly special way.
We found it truly special to be presented so prominently at this important regional networking event, thanks to these municipalities. These same partners are also actively involved in the Interreg Flanders-Netherlands project “(Be)Leefbare Schelde”, which focuses, among other things, on food experiences rooted in the distinct character of the region.