Tourists who consider going to Heerlen for a day will receive 10 euros for their visit to the South Limburg city. The municipal council hopes to lure unknowing tourists to the lugubrious center of Parkstad Limburg. The experiment starts today and only applies on the 365 most depressing days of the year.
“It is only a trial,” says a spokesperson for the municipality. “We also know that a tenner will not bring anyone to this desolate place, but if we see a small difference in the tourist flow, we can expand this measure to a free house or a bag of coke.”
The municipality also wants to provide extra rewards for visiting local sights. “Tourists receive an extra tenner if they have enjoyed the architectural deterioration in the Maankwartier for more than an hour and a free pickaxe from the museum shop if they have survived the Dutch Mining Museum.”
As a last resort, the municipality has asked the NS to change the Amsterdam – Heerlen intercity to Amsterdam – Maastricht East.
