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The mayor and aldermen of Amsterdam want to take measures to limit the number of tourists. Among other things, the city council wants to tackle annoying stag parties and organized pub crawls, limit the number of river cruises and bring earlier closing times for catering establishments and window prostitution in the red light district.
The council is also in favor of a smoking ban in parts of the city centre. There will also be a campaign to discourage foreign visitors who, according to the council, “want to let loose” in Amsterdam. The campaign is expected to start early next year.
Economic Affairs Assessor Sofyan Mbarki presented his plans this afternoon, he wrote NH/AT5 news. The city council has yet to decide.
Growing flow of tourists
The city council has ruled that further steps must be taken if the city’s projected number of overnight stays exceeds 18 million this year. That number could be reached this year, and more than 20 million visitors a year are expected by 2024.
“If we love the city, we have to act now. A lot has been done in recent years, but we have to do even more in the coming years,” Mbarki wrote in a letter to the city council. “Amsterdam is a metropolis and that includes hustle and bustle, but to keep our city livable, we now have to opt for limitations instead of irresponsible growth.”
Restaurants in the Red Light District close at 02:00
To counteract the nuisance in the red light district, the city council wants to tighten closing times on weekend nights. This is done at the request of the residents.
Catering establishments must therefore close at 02:00, with no new visitors allowed from 01:00. The prostitution window is supposed to close at 3am. According to councilor Mbarki, residents rest earlier on weekends.
