As the city works to eliminate weekend cannabis sales, restrict stag parties, and shut down brothels across its notorious red light district, Amsterdam is toughening up on nuisance tourists.
The capital of the Netherlands wants to change its image as a cheap and wild weekend getaway destination in favor of showcasing the treasures of its cultural institutions.
Groups aiming for blow-out weekends have generated chaos and discomfort for Amsterdam’s 880,000 permanent inhabitants, with British visitors being among the worst offenders.
According to the new plans for Amsterdam, citizens would be able to reclaim their city and clean up the subpar tourism that the area has long been known for.
On Wednesday, the city of Amsterdam revealed its intentions to crack down on intrusive tourists and prepare to start a “stay away” campaign the next year. The effort would aim to deter foreign visitors who merely intended to take use of the city’s more well-known advantages.
The new plans call for bars and clubs to close by 2 a.m., as well as window prostitution and stricter opening hours for brothels in the red light district.
In other parts of the city, marijuana smoking would also be prohibited. Some of Amsterdam’s cannabis coffee shops, a popular tourist destination, are presently slated for closure. In some areas of the city, alcohol is currently prohibited.
The city anticipates implementing more measures aimed at this group of people in the near future. The city hopes that this will particularly discourage bachelor parties from visiting Amsterdam.
Tighter regulations for Airbnb and short-term rentals are one of the additional measures.
When the city is busiest, a tourist tax may also be imposed.
The deputy mayor of Amsterdam, Sofyan Mbarki, declared, “If we love the city, we must act now.”
According to Mr. Mbarki, the city reached the urgent conclusion that the amount of low-quality tourism needed to be reduced after speaking with residents, businesses, experts, and interest groups.
Everyone cares about the city, and it is now obvious that action must be taken to stop the annoyance and overpopulation. Effective and forward-looking collaboration requires both a long-term vision and the right policies.
“Amsterdam is a metropolis, which means it is a dynamic and bustling city, but to preserve our city liveable, we now have to decide for limitations instead of reckless expansion,” the author writes.
The city has committed to limiting annual tourism to 20 million visitors. 18 million people have already arrived, and many more are anticipated throughout the Christmas season.
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