BrabantSport and Eindhoven Airport: a golden duo

Rooted in Brabant, Eindhoven Airport takes pride in its region. Together with dozens of regional organizations, the airport promotes the Brabant region. One such organization with which the airport has a three-year partnership is BrabantSport, an initiative from the province of North Brabant. The international swimming event in Eindhoven is one of the initiatives in which Sport Brabant and Eindhoven Airport find each other and work closely together.

He speaks to Marcel Ballesten, former hockey player for the Dutch national team and ambassador Brabant Sports. Marcel: We encourage sports at all levels. Our goal is to inspire all Brabant people to exercise and keep moving. And of course everyone participates, which is why we ensure that people with mental or physical disabilities can enjoy the sport. We also encourage home-grown talent to develop fully with the aim of getting more of Brabant’s best athletes. Finally, we try to get as many international competitions as possible for Brabant. To get this done as best as possible, we need help from the Brabant business community. ”

More than just money

Since September 2019, BrabantSport and Eindhoven Airport Hands joined together. And what’s special: the collaboration goes much further than Marcel could have ever dreamed of. Marcel knows why: When I met Roel Helmons, manager of Eindhoven Airport, and Maurits de Beer, in charge of partnerships, we instantly clicked. They, just like me, are very interested in sports. In terms of cooperation, we also go further than what was agreed upon on paper. You will initially find each other on a personal and sporting level, and eventually it will result in a collaboration that goes far beyond a mere financial contribution.

They are now over 2.5 years old and dozens of international sporting events. Hundreds of top athletes from Brabant left abroad via the airport and returned to Eindhoven with the necessary medals and trophies in their possession. And the cooperation doesn’t stop there. The airport makes it easy to transport the necessary equipment, and top athletes from Brabant can park their cars for free at Eindhoven Airport and use the so-called “fast lane” at the airport. This saves them time and energy, which they can use for their athletic performance.

A win for both parties

And when international events take place in Brabant, the airport also naturally benefits. Marcel: By bringing events like this, we stimulate the economic impact on the region. We are always thinking about how our partners can contribute. This is why our collaboration during the La Vuelta Holland bike race is one of the most important events for me. The first three stages were led in the Netherlands, but then the road continued on to Spain. Eindhoven Airport Ensure that the entire professional peloton, including the staff and all the bikes, boards the plane in Eindhoven to finish the Tour of Spain in their own country. Another important event occurred around the tribute to Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard by Jumbo-Visma in Den Bosch. The helicopter landing site has not been arranged. Great that this last minute was allowed to land at Eindhoven Airport and Wout could be in his own party.