Lisanne van Beurden and Mathilde Simon met in 2011 during Eurekaweek: Erasmus University Rotterdam's (EUR) introduction week. During the International Bachelor Communication and Media (IBCoM), they soon became friends and dreamed of their own digital platform. In 2017, they launched Weekends in Rotterdam: a platform with tips on the best hotspots, events, hotels and routes in the city.
Weekends in Rotterdam
The idea for a website with local tips on Rotterdam popped up during a trip by Lisanne. She kept a travel blog and advised a friend who lived in Seoul - and also kept a travel blog - to focus only on Seoul. After all, her friend had a lot of valuable knowledge about the city and it also works well for Google (SEO). "Suddenly, the thought came to mind: this is what I want to do with Rotterdam, once I get back from travelling", Lisanne remembers.
Platform for locals
Maybe you think that Weekends in Rotterdam only focuses on tourists, but that is not entirely the case. Mathilde: "Rotterdam was very much upcoming when we started in 2017, also for tourists, and we wanted to act on this." “What is funny, though, is that eventually more "Rotterdammers" (Rotterdam citizens) than tourists visit our website. Locals seem to be just as curious about tips on hidden gems in their beloved city", adds Lisanne.
Inspiration
Lisanne and Mathilde get their inspiration for content mainly from exploring the city themselves or through tips from friends. They focus on local tips and hidden gems, rather than the more well-known places. Most importantly, they consider whether they would go to the place themselves, or they would recommend it to their friends.
Sustainability
As a platform, you can no longer ignore sustainability: almost everyone - especially the younger generation - is concerned with it in one way or another. With Weekends in Rotterdam, Lisanne and Mathilde want on the one hand to inspire people who have never thought about the subject before. On the other hand, through their articles, they want to help people find places where they can shop plastic-free.
- More information
Curious to find out which hidden spot in Rotterdam deserves more attention according to Lisanne and Mathilde? Then read the full interview on the ESHCC alumni website.