Visiting Amsterdam for a weekend of boozing, smoking, and pre-wedding nonsense? You may have to rethink that party, as the municipality is making plans to limit the number of tourists in the coming years.
Amsterdam is officially tired of raucous stag parties and tourists visiting to ‘go wild’. The number of tourists staying overnight in Amsterdam grew to an outstanding 14.6 million in the third quarter of 2022.
And, the municipality has decided this is simply too many people. The council has decided that if the expected number of tourists rises to over 18 million in 2023, measures will be taken, reports NOS.
Earlier closing times and smoking bans
To curb the attraction of tourists coming to Amsterdam, the council has proposed a number of anti-fun rules.
Alderman Sofyan Mbarki of Economic Affairs proposed restrictions to the city council, though they have yet to decide.
Mbarki has targeted the Red Light District in particular, a popular destination for incoming tourists looking to attend strip clubs or experience the Netherlands’ open-minded attitude to sex work.
It has been proposed that catering establishments must close at 2 AM and window prostitution should end at 3 AM.
Other proposed measures to limit the number of tourists in Amsterdam were;
- a new smoking ban in parts of the city centre
- ban on selling weed after 4 PM
- limiting the number of boarding places for party boats
- encouraging hotels to host tourists for longer stays
- increase tourist tax on river cruises and in certain areas of the city
Increase in tourism since the pandemic
Since the coronavirus pandemic, the number of tourists has reached higher than before the lockdowns.
Amsterdam residents launched an initiative called ‘Amsterdam has a choice’ out of concern for noise and public nuisance.
As Mbarki says in his letter, “We want to get rid of commercial parties who earn their money from vulgar tourist entertainment in the already scarce public space in the city centre.”
Many commercial businesses make massive profits from tourists, but this does not accommodate for Amsterdam citizens.
According to Mbarki, this “entertainment does not account for Amsterdammers who live or work in the city.”
Does this impact your plans to visit Amsterdam in 2023? Tell us in the comments below! 👇
Amsterdam was once a progressive, welcoming city; your politicians should stop pandering to people who move to loud, crowded areas, then complain about loud, crowded areas.