Efteling, the theme park in the Netherlands, is required to reduce its nitrogen emissions or limit its yearly attendance to around five million visitors.

The fairy-tale theme park has been given a local court ordering from the North Brabant province in the south of the country, to enforce the measures.

In 2016, Efteling was told is could welcome a maximum of five million visitors through its doors annually, as more guests could cause damage to the Loonse en Drunense Duinen National Park. In 2017, 2018 and 2019, this number was exceeded.

The theme park applied for a permit to be able to welcome more visitors, saying it would reduce nitrogen emissions itself.

However, it a recent district court judgement, the province has just ten weeks to decide whether to enforce the visitor limit or demonstrate that measures to reduce emissions are adequate.

The theme park is on target for a major expansion. Dubbed the ‘World of Efteling 2030’, the new area is due to open in 2024 and will include an indoor attraction and new hotel.