ROTTERDAM, 28 May 2025 – A new interactive app is drawing attention at Diergaarde Blijdorp. Thousands of visitors are engaging with nature education through their smartphones.
Expeditie Blijdorp introduces digital learning in the zoo
Diergaarde Blijdorp has introduced a new digital learning experience through its app, known as Expeditie Blijdorp. The interactive feature, which combines entertainment and education, has recorded 21,000 hours of use in just 14 weeks. It aims to engage visitors—both during and beyond their zoo visits—with biodiversity and sustainability topics.
Launched earlier this year, Expeditie Blijdorp encourages users to participate in educational challenges via their smartphones. Through location-based prompts and home assignments, participants learn about animal species, habitats, and conservation efforts. Activities completed in the app unlock badges, exclusive content, and in-zoo rewards, offering a hybrid experience that connects physical exploration with digital engagement.
Thousands of educational hours logged
The app currently has 100,000 users, who have collectively spent more than 21,000 hours engaged in educational tasks. The initiative has been designed to increase awareness of environmental conservation while making learning accessible and voluntary. According to the zoo, the recorded time is equivalent to over 21,000 biology lessons.
Diergaarde Blijdorp sees this as a step towards fostering long-term appreciation and care for nature, particularly among younger generations. The app has contributed to the zoo’s aim of facilitating low-threshold learning experiences that are both recreational and informative.
Expansion and collaboration with WNF
Encouraged by positive feedback and early adoption rates, the zoo plans to further develop the app with new routes and interactive features. Notably, the World Wildlife Fund (WNF) has collaborated on a dedicated turtle route, highlighting both the beauty and vulnerability of the species.
Carolien Ottjes, Chief Marketing Officer of Diergaarde Blijdorp, commented, “The 21,000 hours of education are more than just a number; they reflect how well we’re responding to the growing trend of combining recreation with learning.”
Supporting long-term engagement
Expeditie Blijdorp plays a central role in the zoo’s broader loyalty strategy, developed in partnership with DPDK for the 2023–2026 period. The app not only enriches the visitor experience but also contributes to behavioural change, public involvement in conservation, and new revenue models. Through digital innovation, Blijdorp continues to explore sustainable approaches to audience engagement.
Directions to Diergaarde Blijdorp
Diergaarde Blijdorp is located in the north-west of Rotterdam, close to Rotterdam Centraal Station. The zoo can be accessed easily via public transport or bicycle, with ample parking for visitors arriving by car. The main entrance is near the Blijdorplaan.
