Why Amsterdam Is Changing Its Reputation From Party City To Cultural Icon

Last Updated 12 hours in the past

Wild stag events, rowdy late-night vacationers, and overcrowding are what come to thoughts for the Amsterdam tourism scene for some, however now locals need to take again their metropolis and alter its repute from social gathering central to a cultural hub. Residents are mentioned to be fed up with nuisance vacationers which have hit an all-time excessive after town reopened after the pandemic.

Last week, Amsterdam metropolis proposed a major package of initiatives that might curb nuisance tourism and would encourage extra high quality vacationers that have been inquisitive about exploring town as an alternative of late-night partying, hashish cafes, and brothels.

Image of a bridge over a canal in amsterdam with bikes locked up along the guard rails

“If we love the city, we have to act now,” mentioned the Mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, in a press launch. “Much has been done in recent years, but we need to do even more. Intervention is needed to counter the nuisance and overcrowding. Amsterdam is a metropolis and that means a lively and bustling city, but to keep our city livable, we now have to opt for limits instead of irresponsible growth.”

Red Light District in Amsterdam. Red boxes with curtains and rainy Cobbles on the street

What Changes Are Being Proposed

Capping Tourists: 18 million individuals have visited Amsterdam this 12 months, which equates to the identical variety of residents in the entire nation. There is presently a pledge to restrict vacationer numbers to twenty million, and initiatives have already kicked in to assist, equivalent to capping the number of people arriving at Amsterdam’s main airport, Schiphol.
Increased Cannabis Bans: town needs to ban smoking hashish on streets in sure scorching spot vacationer areas and can also be trying into banning gross sales of hashish within the red-light district on weekends. This ban goals to align with the present alcohol sale bans within the red-light district, which restricts alcohol purchases at liquor shops after 4 pm on Thursdays to Sundays.
Converting Hotel Space To Homes Or Offices: resort house owners can be inspired to transform resort areas to houses or places of work as an alternative, in an effort to cap in a single day company.

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Traditional Dutch Houses Reflected On The Water, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Banning Organized Pub Crawls: pub crawls are on warning, as town proposes an investigation into what authorized choices can be found to ban organized pub crawls and restrict their availability to attenuate drunken crowds.
Closing The Red Light District Earlier: eating places, bars, and brothels are all part of the institutions which are proposed to shut earlier within the pink gentle district to restrict the variety of individuals within the space at evening.
Implementing A “Stay Away” Campaign For Tourists: additional efforts are proposed to discourage low-grade tourism, equivalent to a ‘stay away’ marketing campaign that detracts specific vacationers. Travel specialists have already started taking the lead and have recommended Amsterdam as a city not to visit in 2023.

The colorful illuminated buildings in the Red Light District of Amsterdam

Raising Tourist Tax: The metropolis is contemplating elevating the vacationer tax throughout peak instances. The present vacationer tax is 7% of the lodging value for inns (excluding meals and beverage) and three euros per particular person per evening or 10% of vacation leases.
Moving Brothels To Assigned Areas: Mayor Femke Halsema has detailed her plans to maneuver brothels to an erotic middle, the place the mayor and metropolis council paid an architect to give you the design. The plans are presently going through backlash because of native opposition and staff not wanting to maneuver away from common scorching spots, so a brand new answer is presently being mentioned.

Rijksmuseum with I Amsterdam sign, Holland

Doubling Down On Organized Crime: officers are trying into curbing organized crime from vacationer outlets, cafes, and different institutions that particularly goal vacationers.

The proposals by town nonetheless have to be introduced to the elected council throughout its assembly on December 21.

Crowd of international tourists walking on streets of Red Light District of Amsterdam.

Why Are These Changes Being Implemented?

When extra individuals go to one metropolis than the inhabitants of the entire nation, this may result in opposed penalties for locals. Amsterdam has developed a repute as a stag social gathering vacation spot however has a lot more to offer than its cafes and late-night bar hops.

The Holland Tourism Board has change into targeted on readjusting its advertising marketing campaign and selling totally different areas within the Netherlands, with an purpose to phase vacationers and unfold them out throughout totally different instances. In its 10-year plan referred to as Perspective 2030, it has pledged to “attract different visitors to different areas at different times” and put native residents first.