Overtourism is a growing problem for Amsterdam. While the city has a population of around 850,000, they are visited annually by 22 million tourists. They have previously taken several measures to prevent it what they refer to as unwanted tourism.
In an interview with Bloomberg Amsterdam’s mayor Femke Halsema is now dealing with the behavior of some of the tourists.
– We love tourists in our city. They are also an important part of our local economy – especially when tourists come to enjoy the beauty of our city, for our museums or for the nightlife here, she says, adding:
– But we have a problem with some of the tourists. It is not about tourism in itself, but about the behavior of some of the tourists, she says.
SETTLEMENT: Amsterdam’s mayor Femke Halsema a settlement with the behavior of some of the city’s tourists. Photo: NTB / Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock
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«Mister moral»
She believes that some of the city’s tourists “take a holiday from their morals”.
– The people we don’t welcome are people who come here on holiday out of morals. The tourists behave in a way that they would not do at home. People who come here to lose morale are a problem for us, says Halsema.
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In the summer of 2019, Halsema launched plans to close the famous prostitution quarter “Red Light District” and rather establish an “erotic zone” outside the city centre.
The fact that tourists “stare” at the women behind the windows, with no intention of paying for the services they perform, was particularly highlighted as a problem.
– In the past, the “Red Light District” was a safe workplace for sex workers. It was Amsterdammers and international visitors who came for the women, but now it attracts many who just stand in front of the windows and laugh at the sex workers, she says.
RED LIGHT DISTRICT: The shop windows in the prostitution quarter must be closed. The sex workers will be offered to move their business to an “erotic centre” outside the city centre. Photo: Robin Utrecht / Shutterstock / NTB
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Creates noise
Halsema says that she considers it a violation of their human rights, and that she does not want to criminalize prostitution.
– For me, it is very important that they can do their work under safe conditions and in accordance with human rights, she says.
– Another problem with the “Red Light District” is that it creates too much noise and too many problems for the people who live nearby. And the third problem is that it mixes with organized crime, she says.
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