Tourism
History and culture have long been a tourist attraction in Arnhem Nijmegen Cool Region. Now in the year 2008, numerous companies in the wellness and hospitality sector are sure to reform the regional economy. Nature also offers new economic prospects.
Wellness and hospitality
In addition to large-scale tourist attractions of the Arnhem Nijmegen Cool Region, new combinations of care and health are booming. Entrepreneurs in the tourist industry like to contribute to the innovative and healthy image that Cool Region has with Health Valley.
The tourist sector in Arnhem Nijmegen Cool Region is fully aware of the new developments and responds to this need. Nijmegen has the Spa Wellness Hotel Scandic Sanadome with no less than 2,500 square metres of thermal bath facilities. The region also accommodates various saunas.
Arnhem also has a gay sauna, and was recently proclaimed the ‘gay capital’ of the Netherlands by www.gaysite.nl. The site www.gay-arnhem.nl lists all special offers, clubs, cafés and parties.
Sports
When you think of wellness, you also think of sports. In this field, the regional business community in Arnhem Nijmegen Cool Region also shows its progressive nature. Cool Region knows exactly what is ‘hot’ and you can find many smaller sports and fitness centres as well as large facilities. They include climbing centres in Nijmegen and Arnhem, ski runs in Wijchen and golf courses and an enormous skating rink which cater to the needs of the modern tourist. Arnhem combines all modern sports facilities in Mountain Network.
Congeresses
Many accommodations are very well suited for organising a congress. Further information is given at www.conventionbureau.n en www.congresbureau-veluwe.nl. Papendal deserves special mention as the home base for Olympic organisation NOC*NSF. Here sports stars can prepare for international events. The premises also offer room to recreational sports. Papendal is equipped for smaller groups but can also accommodate up to ten thousand guests.
Rich nature
Cool Region’s nature is stunningly rich and varied, which makes it very attractive for tourists. Entrepreneurs in de region consciously cater to the needs of modern visitors.
An extensive ecological network runs right across Cool Region Arnhem Nijmegen and gives room to flora and fauna, but can also store surplus water from the big rivers if necessary. The Millingerwaard nature area, an ambitious nature project initiated among others by World Wide Fund for Nature is very popular with tourists. Imaginative entrepreneurs run a tea garden in the Millingerwaard or organise walking tours. Initiatives of this kind can count on a warm welcome by Arnhem Nijmegen Cool Region.
Events
The yearly four days’ walking event is the biggest walking event in the world and leads some tens of thousand of participants through nature areas and villages around Nijmegen. The festivities on the walking routes and the nighttime parties in the city give creative entrepreneurs the opportunity to do good business or to raise their public profile. 
More modest tourist activities based on nature, such as a maze in the maize fields are also very well suited to Arnhem Nijmegen Cool Region. To give more variation in the vast greenhouse farming complex around Bemmel south of Arnhem, an inducement is offered to small-scale nature recreation.
