amsterdam tourist crackdown

Amsterdam has long wanted to keep ‘nuisance’ tourists away. First, it banned new hotels and now, it plans to ban cruises

Amsterdam is fed up with its tourist deluge.

The Dutch city attracts all types of visitors—whether they’re coming to party or visit tulip fields— but in recent years has become a victim of overtourism and has tried to cap its number of tourists.

Last year’s “ Stay Away ” campaign was part of its efforts to discourage travelers from tainting Amsterdam with their “nuisance,” as Deputy Mayor Sofyan Mbarki put it. 

Now Amsterdam is planning to crack down on cruise ships too.

The Dutch capital city plans to limit cruise ships in its harbor to just 100 in 2026, down from 190 currently, before banning them outright by 2035, Amsterdam’s council announced last week. It added that it was part of a raft of measures to put a lid on tourism and “to counteract nuisance.”  

“Sea cruises are polluting and cause crowds and emissions in the city,” the council said in its release. “We want Amsterdam to be clean, livable, and sustainable.”

Amsterdam’s City Council didn’t immediately return Fortune ’s request for comment.

Cracking down on overtourism

The move to ban inbound cruises has been in the works for a while. Amsterdam wanted to redirect cruise liners to terminals outside the main city area as they brought tourists who crowded the streets. In 2022, the city’s mayor blamed cruise tourists for swarming the city but doing little for it. 

The record-high tourist numbers, up from 12.6 million in 2019 to 15.1 million in 2023, have spurred the crackdown. This spike in visitors has overwhelmed the city’s infrastructure, such as its public transport networks and quaint streets.  

Amsterdam is home to some of the most picturesque water canals and museums. But over the years, it’s gained the reputation of a party city—one it’s trying to distance itself from. The Dutch capital has tightened rules on smoking weed , especially in its red-light district, and banned new hotels from being built earlier this year . 

Cruises aren’t the main avenue to enter Amsterdam, but they’re certainly among the most polluting. One cruise, carrying thousands of passengers at once, can result in the same levels of emissions per day as 30,000 trucks, a 2021 study found. 

For similar reasons, European cities such as Dubrovnik and Santorini have also capped cruise ship numbers. Venice has enacted a “tourist tax” of €5 ($5.40) to help fight overtourism .

In addition to cutting cruise emissions, Amsterdam will restrict boats to only shore power, an alternative to the existing diesel fuel that reduces pollution, by 2027. It’s also looking to cut the number of river cruises in its waters.

All the efforts to restrict tourism could prove counterproductive for Amsterdam as it stands to lose between €46 million ($50 million) and €103 million ($111 million) in revenue, Bloomberg reported . The City Council recognizes this but thinks it “cannot afford to sit back and wait for things to get worse.”

“If we don’t do this now, we will become less attractive as a city for people and companies. And that will cost more money in the long run,” a council spokesperson told the outlet.  

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Why Amsterdam wants tourists to 'stay away'

Amsterdam is taking a step closer to saying good riddance to wild bachelor parties and rowdy tourists.

The popular destination is launching a new campaign this spring aimed at curbing tourism-induced "nuisance and overcrowding" and building a more responsible visitor economy by 2035, according to the city's tourism plan . The campaign's new rules will impact some of the top tourist attractions: the Red Light District, river cruises, pub crawls and coffee shops. 

City officials say they are tired of businesses who "abuse the city’s image to promote it as a place of 'unlimited opportunity,' " according to the Vision on Tourism in Amsterdam 2035 . The city has long attracted tourists from around the world wanting to experience its liberal laws around prostitution   tolerance of soft drugs .

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Officials say it's been "at the expense of liveability and accessibility for residents."

"If it we go on like this, I think in 10 or 20 years, people will no longer be living in the inner city," Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema told Dutch News . "They will have moved out because they can’t afford it, because the atmosphere is too common, because the city has become too dirty … in all of the senses."

The campaign seeks to shine the spotlight on onto city's cultural wealth, like historic canals and museums. There's even an initiative called "Stay Away," which actively discourages visitors planning to "go wild" not come. 

This isn't the first time Amsterdam has cracked down on troublesome tourists. In 2019, the city banned guided tours in the Red Light District. Last year, the mayor wanted to ban non-residents from participating in coffee shops. 

Read below to learn how the new campaign could impact travelers.

It's not all about the Red Light District: 13 cool ways to spend a long weekend in Amsterdam 

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What are some of the proposed measures? 

The tourism plan outlines measures that "have implications for overnight stays, excess tourism and disturbances."

• Reducing the hours of operations for bars, clubs and the Red Light District on the weekends. Bars and clubs will close at 2 a.m. with no new visitors allowed after 1 a.m., while sex work businesses will close at 3 a.m., three hours earlier than currently. 
• Limiting river cruises
• Expanding the ban on guided tours and pub crawls
• A ban on smoking cannabis in designated areas of the city center
• Restrictions on embarkation and disembarkation points for party boats in the Red Light District. 
• Converting hotels to residential or office use

When will these new rules be in effect?

The campaign launches this spring and the new rules are said to be implemented in mid-May . But the overarching rebranding of Amsterdam's visitor economy will take place over the next 12 years by 2035.

Will Amsterdam limit the number of tourists?

Yes, the city is looking to take action on the number of overnight tourists. In 2019, over 18.4 million overnight tourists  came to Amsterdam. In 2021, an ordinance called " Amsterdam Tourism in Balance " was adopted by the city council that set a cap on the number of visitors to 20 million. If over 18 million people come to Amsterdam, "the municipal executive is obliged to take action" – this year, the city predicts that many tourists to arrive.

Katheen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected]

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Amsterdam was flooded with tourists in 2023, so it won't allow any more hotels

Ayana Archie

Tens of thousands of people watched as dozens of colorfully decorated boats toured the Dutch capital's historic canals Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in the most popular event of a six-day Pride Amsterdam festival that attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the city. Peter Dejong/AP hide caption

Tens of thousands of people watched as dozens of colorfully decorated boats toured the Dutch capital's historic canals Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in the most popular event of a six-day Pride Amsterdam festival that attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the city.

Amsterdam's local government is cracking down on local over-tourism by putting a ban on new hotels, it said Wednesday .

New hotels can only be built if another closes down, and the city is urging developers to choose a site outside of the city center.

If a new hotel is built in place of an old one, it must be more modern or more sustainable. Twenty-six hotels that have already been issued permits will not be affected by the ban, the city said.

In Amsterdam, even the tourists say there are too many tourists

The move was triggered by Amsterdam's "Tourism in balance" policy, which was created in 2021 after a public initiative in which 30,000 residents called for more control of the tourism industry.

Under "tourism in balance," aims to limit overnight stays in hotels by tourists to 20 million a year. In 2023 tourists spent about 20.7 million nights in Amsterdam, a number that doesn't include vacation rentals, bed and breakfast stays or cruise trips. That means "the municipal executive is obliged to take action," the city says.

Amsterdam also has been attempting to curb other behaviors by tourists, including banning cannabis smoking in certain parts of the city , closing some clubs and bars earlier, placing new limits on canal cruises and converting some hotels into homes or offices.

Matador Original Series

Amsterdam is aggressively fighting overtourism. here's how 6 major initiatives will impact your next visit.

A msterdam, like many other European cities, is facing an overtourism problem. The numbers don’t lie. In the year 2000, the Dutch capital broke a record when it welcomed over 4 million visitors. In 2019, the city’s enthusiasm for unbridled tourism had curbed: 10.2 million visitors came to Amsterdam, which has a population of about 820,000, that year and spent 21.8 million nights in the city.

Since 2020, encouraged by the residents, the city of Amsterdam has been taking drastic measures to not only to rein in tourist numbers with a cap of 20 million overnight stays annually, but also repel troublesome visitors, improving the quality of life for local residents in the process.

“There has not been one trigger [for Amsterdam to decide to fight overtourism],” says Eva Plijter, spokesperson for the Amsterdam City Council, in an email. “Amsterdam has slowly become busier and busier and residents, especially in the city center, have seen major changes in our city.”

Increased busyness is only one of the many and multi-faceted problematic consequences of mass tourism. Demand for more tourist accommodations such as Airbnbs can lead to a hike in housing prices and locals being forced out of the rental market, like what a lot of mountain towns in the US are currently experiencing. Anti-tourist protests in Spain have rocked the country this year. More visitors can also accelerate the early damage of infrastructures that were previously meant only for residents, such as roads, public transports, and hospitals. But overtourism can also pave the way to the deterioration of the culture of a locale — when every shop, restaurant, and bar cater to the needs tastes of outsiders rather than those of residents.

Amsterdam’s ultimate goal is to have solved the problem of overtourism and its negative effects by 2035, as explained in the city’s 10-page report: “ Vision on Tourism in Amsterdam in 2035 .”

And it goes without saying that Amsterdam’s initiatives to fight overtourism, while being long-term goals, will impact your future trips there.

Over email Plijter outlined the main measures taken by the Amsterdam tourism authorities to slow the growth of tourism and design a more sustainable tourism model.

1. Reduce the supply of home rentals

Home owners in Amsterdam can rent out their primary residence, or part of it, whether a house or a houseboat, to a maximum of four people at a time and for a maximum of 30 nights per calendar year. To do so, however, they need to obtain a permit for which the application costs $77 (71 €). They also need to report on every rented period to the local authorities before their guests arrive. Failing to comply to all these conditions and rules can result in fines up to $23,546 (21,750 €).

The above-mentioned rules on private rentals mean that the pool of available accommodations is limited for those who wish to vacation in Amsterdam. With fewer rentals on the market, the price of available accommodations is also bound to be higher, discouraging many visitors.

2. Slow, and eventually stop, adding to the number of available hotel rooms

On April 17, 2024, Amsterdam’s local government announced that no new hotels will be built in the city unless another one closes. If a new hotel is to be built in place of another, it must have the same number of rooms or fewer, and it must be better, such as more sustainable.

While this means that, in the long term, the hotels on offer to visitors will be of better quality, it also means there will be fewer of them. Much like with private rentals, fewer hotel rooms available will translate into higher-priced hotel accommodations.

In an effort to decongest the city center and spread tourism more evenly throughout the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (AMA), some hotel projects might be given the go-ahead if they are planned outside of the city limits.

Hotels that close down and are not replaced will be transformed in homes for residents and offices, as part of the City Center Approach program, created in 2020.

3. Stop the building of new shops or facilities aimed at tourists

Photo: Alexander Tolstykh /Shutterstock

The ban on new tourist shops in the city center started as early as 2017 and is ongoing. It prevents new businesses that solely focus on tourists, as opposed to residents and workers, such as souvenir shops, ice cream shops, and even bike rental shops, among others, from opening.

Visitors to Amsterdam may have fewer choices for the purchase of their snacks and knick-knacks, but they’ll also get a more authentic experience of what it’s like to live in Amsterdam while visiting the city center.

4. Reduce the number of cruises

In an effort to reduce crowds and pollution, Amsterdam is cutting down on the number of river cruises and sea cruises coming to the city. The city council wants to halve the number of river cruise ships in the city, allowing a maximum of 1,150 calls per year in 2028. The same goes for sea cruises which dock in the city’s cruise terminal; they will be reduced from 190 to a maximum of 100 per year starting in 2026. The city council plans to move the sea cruise terminal to outside of the city center by 2035.

Visitors who wish to visit the city on a cruise will have fewer options to choose from in the next few years. Starting in 2035, cruise passengers will also have to travel from further away to reach the Amsterdam city center.

5. Introduce campaigns that attract a different kind of visitor

Amsterdam is very anxious to shake off its image as the European capital of debauchery, and drive away all those who come to the city to party excessively. The 2023 “Stay Away” campaign, aimed at young British male tourists who come to the city to take advantage of its relaxed rules on drugs and sex , was meant to do just that. Further similar image campaigns targeting partiers from all over Europe, including the Netherlands and the UK, are in the works.

Expensive fines for public drunkenness ($108 or 100 €) and noise pollution ($162 or 150 €), earlier closing times for bars and brothels, a ban on drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis in public, as well as potentially moving brothels from the Red Light District , also aim at cutting down on partiers.

If you plan to come to Amsterdam only to overindulge in alcohol, weed, and sex, think again because you’re not wanted, and the local authorities will fine you if you misbehave.

6. Increase the tourist tax to slow tourism and ensure tourists contribute more to keeping the city liveable

Currently, hotels, camping grounds, private rentals, and bed & breakfasts all have to pay a tax of 12.5 percent of the overnight rate if they welcome out-of-town visitors for overnight stays. Sea and river cruise companies pay a “Day Tripper” tax of $15.15 (14 €) per passenger.

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Amsterdam to ban cruise ships from city centre in latest crackdown on overtourism

The move, to ban ships from the city's central cruise terminal, comes after Amsterdam launched a "stay away" campaign to discourage British party-goers and banned the smoking of cannabis on the streets of its famous red light district.

News reporter @thejournojames

Friday 21 July 2023 11:37, UK

Amsterdam has banned cruise ships from docking in the city centre in its latest attempt to cut tourism and pollution.

Politicians in the Dutch capital said cruise ships were "incompatible" with their sustainability ambitions for the city, which, despite its relatively small size, is one of the most visited in Europe.

It comes after the Dutch capital launched a "stay away" campaign in March in a bid to deter people - particularly young British men - from choosing the city as a party and stag-do destination.

In February, the council also banned people from smoking cannabis in the streets of the city's famous red-light district and ordered bars and restaurants to shut by 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

The cruise ship ban will result in the closure of the city's central terminal on the River IJ, near Amsterdam's main train station.

The proposal was adopted by a large majority of the city's council, which is run by a coalition of the centrist Democrats 66 party (D66), the social democratic PvdA and the GroenLinks environmentalists.

D66 politician Ilana Rooderkerk, who compared cruise passengers to a "plague of locust" in an opinion piece last month, said Amsterdam would "sail better" without cruise ships.

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"The polluting cruise is not in line with Amsterdam's sustainable ambitions," she wrote on Twitter.

"Cruise ships in the city centre also do not fit in with the task of combating mass tourism."

Her party said plans to build a new bridge between Amsterdam's historic southern district and the Noord district would also be impossible if cruise ships were allowed to continue docking in the city centre.

De vervuilende cruise sluit niet aan bij de duurzame ambities van Amsterdam. Ook passen cruiseschepen in het stadshart niet bij de opdracht om het massatoerisme tegen te gaan. Het klimaat wacht niet. Oftewel, het is tijd voor actie. Amsterdam vaart beter zonder de cruise.👇 https://t.co/Ew1JiqjT8t — Ilana Rooderkerk (@IlanaRooderkerk) July 20, 2023

Alternative sites from cruise ships have been considered, though no decision has yet been made on where it could be placed.

Mayor Femke Halsema, from the GroenLinks party, complained about cruise ship passengers in an interview with Dutch media in November.

She said that they did not benefit the city's residents because they only visited for a "couple of hours", ate meals at "international brands" and had "little time" to visit museums.

Ms Halsema, the city's first female mayor, has been the face of Amsterdam's campaign to clean up its streets, which welcome up to 22 million tourists each year, despite the city's relatively small size.

Its reputation as a party city, with its cannabis cafes and historic red-light district, has led it to become a popular destination for stag-dos.

In a wide-ranging interview with Bloomberg last year, she said: "Amsterdam welcomes 22 million tourists per year, and that's a little bit too much.

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"It's not a form of tourism we welcome or don't welcome - it's a form of behaviour. What we do not welcome is people who come here on a vacation from morals.

"It's a place where you should go if you're looking for beautiful museums, or to see the underground culture, or if you want to attend our Pride."

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Amsterdam is not the first European city to ban cruise ships from its city centre.

Venice banned cruise ships from its city centre in April 2021, following a request from UN cultural body Unesco.

While Barcelona has not outright banned cruise ships, it has made efforts to limit the number arriving in its docks.

It wants to cut the number of cruise tourists from 400,000 per month to 200,000.

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Amsterdam’s new tourism campaign is ready to ruffle some feathers

Mar 30, 2023 • 7 min read

When visiting Amsterdam, consider greener, more socially responsible activities than wild nights in the Red Light District © Lana Iva / Shutterstock

If you’re a young British male planning a trip to Amsterdam  to “go wild,” consider yourself on notice.

As “overtourism” threatens to overwhelm the city, the Dutch capital is actively telling certain travelers not to visit via what city officials are dubbing a (rather blunt) “discouragement campaign.”

The campaign specifically targets British men aged between 18 and 35 who plan to travel to the city to drink and take drugs.

When British tourists search online for terms including "stag party Amsterdam" "pub crawl Amsterdam" or something as innocuous as "cheap hotel Amsterdam" they'll soon be greeted with a video advertisement warning them of the consequences of consuming too much alcohol or drugs or causing trouble in the city through antisocial behavior.

“Nuisance tourists” no longer welcome

"The aim of the discouragement campaign is to keep out visitors that we do not want. If we love the city, we must take action now," says deputy mayor Sofyan Mbarki in a statement. "In recent months, I have talked to many different groups: residents, businesses, experts and interest groups. From these discussions, it has become clear that… intervention is needed."

Amsterdam is one of the most popular destinations for British stag (bachelor) parties thanks to its proximity to the UK and, of course, the legalization of cannabis and brothels. These trips generally include all-night drink and drug benders and sometimes antisocial behavior, which causes a strain on daily life for residents.

While the "Stay Away" campaign is targeted at just British male tourists for now, authorities say it may be expanded later in the year to include visitors behaving badly from elsewhere in the Netherlands and other EU countries. 

From tolerate to regulate

Amsterdam hailed as a highly tolerant, liberal city, has become increasingly regulated over recent years, especially in De Wallen, better known as the Red Light District. In 2008, the number of prostitution windows was cut from 482 to 243; 100 more will soon be moved to a multi-story "erotic center" on Amsterdam's outskirts.

Critics, such as sex-worker advocate Justine le Clercq, accuse the city council of becoming increasingly conservative. "If you really want more safety for the [sex work] industry, you provide several small locations and more opportunities to work from home, just like other freelancers are allowed to do," she says.

Yet authorities say no moral judgment is involved in curbing disproportionate numbers of “men aged 18 to 35 that only come to party and use our city as a backdrop,” says city spokeswoman Carina Noordervliet.

“The streets in [Amsterdam's city center] are very small and therefore much [more] crowded than, for example, the wide public spaces in Paris, London or Berlin," she continues. "The discouragement campaign [is] targeted at a group of people who in general don't contribute to the city in a positive way.”

New measures on “feestbeest” and cannabis 

More comprehensive measures on feestbeest ("party animals" in Dutch) – pub crawls, stag parties, stagettes and so on – will prevent raucous conduct in busy inner areas like Rembrandtplein , Leidseplein and particularly the Red Light District. Further measures – such as reducing the number of Airbnb rentals, hotels and river cruises – aim to dial down tourism overall, bringing annual overnight stays from 18 million to below 10 million.

Amsterdam is also increasing measures to discourage the sale of alcohol. Already, you can't buy alcohol after 4pm between Thursday and Sunday – and the city now requires that alcohol be hidden from view or removed from stores during these hours.

In February, the city council announced it would ban people from smoking marijuana on the streets in the Red Light District  from mid-May. This is in response to complaints from residents about disruptive tourists who flood the district in the late hours and engage in antisocial behavior.

"Residents of the old town suffer a lot from mass tourism and alcohol and drug abuse in the streets," the council said in a statement. "Tourists can also attract street dealers who in turn cause crime and insecurity."

There's still plenty of fun to be had in Amsterdam. If you're going to experience the city for its dynamic culture (in both daytime and nighttime), historic architecture, forward-thinking gastronomy and pristine natural spaces, here are some tips for having a fantastic time in the Dutch capital – while being respectful of local life.

Venture outside the city center 

Amsterdam's canals offer just one perspective on a fabulously diverse urban landscape that Noordervliet, the city spokeswoman, says many visitors don't fully explore. It's true that just a short tram ride or cycling adventure away from downtown , sprawling greenery abounds in the city's wonderful parks . Explore divine lakes and meadows around the Bos forest. At Sloterpark and Westerpark , you'll find plenty of space to picnic and even go swimming.

You can also take the five-minute ferry from Centraal Station to Noord , Amsterdam's ultra-cool, up-and-coming warehouse district. Enjoy the seaside breeze while discovering street art and popping into industrial haunts like NDSM-Werf , an 84,000 sq m former shipyard hosting art galleries and restaurants.

Stay and travel green

Amsterdam is one of the world's leading cities for smart mobility. Traverse the canals aboard a kayak, pedal boat or electric craft. Many tour operators, including Those Dam Boat Guys , offer zero-emission canal tours.

Afterward, retire to a hotel with a clear green focus. The brothel-turned-boutique hostel Cocomama and local hotel chain Conscious offer organic meals, eco-friendly design and upkeep using sustainable methods and supplies. 

Support Amsterdam's "circular city" goals

A few years ago, Amsterdam announced it wanted to become the world's first " circular city ," aiming for a waste-free (or "circular") economy by 2050 using sustainable and renewable raw materials. As a visitor, you can support this by shopping locally and sustainably at vintage boutiques along the  Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets), patronizing ecologically focused designers like Mercer and Property Of , and (especially) dining at eco-conscious restaurants like  De Ceuvel , Foccaceria and Gartine . 

Seek out socially responsible initiatives

Set out for a tour or activity that enriches local life. The world's first sustainable-fashion museum, Fashion for Good , explores fast fashion's alarming impact. A percentage of ticket sales goes toward a same-named nonprofit that helps local designers become more sustainable.

With  Plastic Whale , you can directly help clean up polluted waterways by "plastic fishing" from boats made of retrieved and recycled plastic waste. Or learn about the city's lesser-known stories and social issues via Tours That Matter , which offers guided walks along such themes as colonialism and gentrification. 

Meet the locals 

You can really get to know the city on a walking tour that brings diverse Amsterdam voices to the fore. Mee in Mokum tours are led by volunteers of all ages (often, feisty grannies). Meanwhile, Rederij Lampedusa offers canal-boat tours in former refugee boats led by those who arrived during the refugee crisis.

See the Red Light District in a new light…

Scout out socially responsible initiatives in the Red Light District, such as the Condomerie , a boutique condom shop run by a safe-sex and HIV/AIDS-prevention foundation, or visit the sex-worker collective My Red Light's mini-museum about De Wallen history. Grab a pint at the De Prael craft brewery , which employs ex-prisoners and those with a history of mental illness. Or time your visit with events such as the Red Light Jazz Festival , which highlights a different side of De Wallen's culture.

…or go for a pub crawl in a different neighborhood

Amsterdam was the first city to appoint a nachtburgemeester (night mayor) to ensure that nightlife thrives even despite overcrowding. Several eclectic and lively after-dark establishments have popped up in recent years showcasing the vibrance and diversity that Amsterdam has to offer. In a revamped Noord warehouse,  Sexyland World  is an artists' hub bringing together 365 businesses and organizations that hosts everything from roller-disco nights to poetry slams. At Amsterdam Roest , you can relax at an industrial shipyard–turned–beach bar, or join thousands of other ravers enjoying the beats at Warehouse Elementenstraat .

"There's a much bigger picture of nightlife in Amsterdam than the Red Light District and other places to feel the pulse of the city," says current nightlife mayor Ramon de Lima. "Instead of closing down clubs, the creative community and municipality are finding solutions…[showing] our culture of not ignoring problems but trying to solve them together."

Respect the rules

Don't forget that illegal acts are punishable by fine and enforced by patrolling officers. Smoking cannabis is not allowed on city-center streets, nor is lighting up tobacco indoors. Photographing sex workers is highly disrespectful, not to mention illegal. If you use common sense, your visit to Amsterdam is sure to be, as the Dutch say, lekker gezellig .

Which loosely translates to "absolutely freaking awesome."

This article was first published Mar 6, 2023 and updated Mar 30, 2023.

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Amsterdam is cracking down on rowdy tourists

The Dutch city wants to cut back on tourists coming to the city for sex and drugs – and it’s targeting Brits first

Amsterdam has long had a bit of a rep for the sleazier side of things. Sure, the Dutch capital is magnificent; a cultural bastion with more art, history and natural beauty than some entire countries. But for some, it’s better known for, ahem, other stuff – namely its weed ‘coffeeshops’ and red light district.

But now, Amsterdam has decided it wants to completely shake off its sleazy image. A new ‘stay away’ advertising campaign is discouraging people aged 18 to 35 from travelling to the city for drinking, prostitution and drugs.  

The campaign targeting British tourists, who’re often considered the city’s rowdiest and most disruptive visitors, launched in late March. Brits who search for terms like ‘stag party Amsterdam’, ‘cheap hotel Amsterdam’, or ‘pub crawl Amsterdam’ are met with a video advert, like this one , warning them about the consequences of drinking too much, taking drugs, and causing trouble with their antisocial behaviour. 

If the campaign proves successful, it’ll be expanded to include travellers from other countries, too.

On the whole, Amsterdam’s attitude to prostitution and marijuana is much more liberal than most cities in Europe. Brothels are legal in the Dutch city, while smoking marijuana in ‘coffeeshops’ is tolerated by local authorities.

The ‘stay away’ campaign isn’t the only thing Amsterdam is doing to deter rowdy tourists. The city wants to impose limits on bar crawl, stag do and hen party sizes, reduce its number of river cruises and ban smoking cannabis on the streets of the city centre. Amsterdam also wants to move its red light district to a new ‘erotic centre’ outside of the inner-city area.

It’s worth mentioning that this isn’t the first time that Amsterdam has sworn to crack down on tourists being a nuisance. Back in 2021, the city set out a plan for maintaining its pandemic-era, tourist-free blissfulness , also claiming it could ban tourists from its cannabis coffee shops . So, if you’re looking for a holiday for some sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll, it might be best to look elsewhere!

Did you hear that Amsterdam is banning weed in its red light district ?

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Amsterdam Has a Message for Male Tourists From the U.K.: ‘Stay Away’

In an ad campaign aimed at British men between 18 and 35, the Dutch capital threatens fines for visitors who are looking for a “messy night.”

By Claire Moses

The next time a British man between 18 and 35 types search terms looking for a cheap trip to Amsterdam for himself and his friends, he may see an unusual advertisement: “Stay away.”

In one such ad, a young man is slumped over a bench before he is taken into an ambulance by medical personnel. Another shows close-ups of a man being handcuffed and fingerprinted by the police. Overlaying text warns those who are “coming to Amsterdam for a messy night” that they could incur fines or hospital stays as well as criminal records or permanent damage to their health.

Those videos, which are prompted by search terms like “pub crawl Amsterdam,” are part of advertising by the city aimed at deterring young British men from coming to the Dutch capital for a rowdy weekend. The warnings come even though Amsterdam is partly known for access to marijuana and legal prostitution in the city’s red-light district.

Tourist destinations seem to view British tourists as at risk of overindulging in alcohol. The British government has even studied the phenomenon. In 2013, research showed that more than half of young people were likely to drink more on vacation than at home. “Some young Brits on holiday are putting themselves at risk of serious harm such as hospitalization, arrest or detention,” the British government said at the time.

The campaign is aimed at “nuisance tourists” who are planning to “go nuts,” according to Amsterdam’s announcement. It started this week and is initially focused on British men between 18 and 35. The city may expand it to other tourists, from the Netherlands and other European Union countries, later this year, according to the announcement.

“The advertisements show the risks and consequences of nuisance and excessive use of alcohol and drugs: fines, getting arrested, a permanent record, hospital admittance and health damage,” the announcement states.

“Visitors will still be welcome, but not if they misbehave and cause a nuisance,” Sofyan Mbarki, Amsterdam’s deputy mayor, said in a statement. “Amsterdam is a metropolis and that includes bustle and liveliness, but to keep our city livable, we’re now choosing limitation instead of irresponsible growth.”

In 2021, close to nine million tourists visited the city for a day trip or overnight, according to numbers on the city’s website . The number peaked in 2019, with about 22 million tourists.

The ads are part of a larger effort to crack down on noisy tourists whom locals have long complained about. Last month, Amsterdam introduced rules that banned the smoking of marijuana on the streets of the red-light district and required businesses to shut at 3 a.m., three hours earlier than the previous time. Cafes and restaurants must also close earlier, at 2 a.m.

The city is also aiming to reduce the amount of window prostitution in the red-light district and has been looking for alternatives. One such proposal is to build an “erotic center” outside the city center. The city is still deciding among three locations, but it has been met with opposition from some residents.

Rowdy tourists aren’t a new phenomenon in Amsterdam, and it’s not the first time the city has made a similar plea — even if this campaign seems more blunt.

In 2018, the city introduced on-the-spot fines and increased the presence of city workers in the streets, as well as creating an ad campaign targeting British and Dutch men. Those ads used annotated images to remind visitors that drinking and singing loudly should be contained to bars and not spill into the streets. They also threatened fines for bad behavior.

Alongside the “stay away” videos, the city said it had begun an educational effort for visitors who are already in town called “How to Amsterdam,” which seeks to inform people on appropriate behavior. (Guidance includes warning signs about excessive noise, the illegality of urinating in public and buying drugs from dealers in the street.)

“We’re not a fan of it,” Ian Johnson, a spokesman for Last Night of Freedom, a company that organizes bachelor and bachelorette parties, said of the latest ad campaign. “We think it’s a bit shortsighted.” He added that British tourists didn’t deserve their bad reputation and called the videos alarmist.

Last Night of Freedom organizes bachelor parties for about 100 groups in Amsterdam every year, Mr. Johnson said, expressing skepticism about how successful the ads would be. Amsterdam’s reputation as a party city is entrenched, Mr. Johnson said.

“Business is booming on our end,” he said. “I don’t think this is going to stop it.”

Claire Moses is a reporter for the Express desk in London. More about Claire Moses

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As Amsterdam bows out, what will be the new capital of cannabis tourism?

Countries like Thailand and South Africa are slowly opening up to marijuana tourism, a multibillion-dollar industry. But others want to avoid Amsterdam’s problems.

Amsterdam has dominated cannabis tourism for 40 years, but now it’s stepping back from this multibillion-dollar industry, creating opportunities for emerging marijuana destinations in Asia , Africa , and the Americas. New rules in the Dutch city’s central tourist area limit alcohol sales, require bars to close earlier, and impose a €100 ($107) fine for public marijuana smoking.

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema has told media that marijuana tourism is a blight on the city, fostering crime and public disorder, and has proposed banning foreigners from its cannabis cafés. Since the Netherlands decriminalized cannabis in 1976, it’s been a bucket-list destination for weed enthusiasts.

Tourism experts say Amsterdam’s new policies could alter the global cannabis tourism industry, recently estimated by Forbes to be worth $17 billion annually . Thailand , South Africa , Uruguay , Jamaica , Malta , Mexico , Canada , and the United States have all loosened their cannabis laws, which could increasingly attract tourists, experts predict. Germany may also enter this equation, as it may soon legalize cannabis.

Next capital of cannabis tourism?

Leading that pack of potential Amsterdam successors is Thailand. Long renowned for strict drug laws, the Asian nation legalized cannabis use last year and now has thousands of dispensaries . It is swiftly becoming a major cannabis destination, says Michael O’Regan , tourism lecturer at Scotland’s Caledonian University.

“Thailand is a freewheeling environment at the moment, with very little restriction on consumption by tourists,” says O’Regan, an expert in marijuana tourism. “The country is attracting cannabis tourists across the Asian region and may increasingly attract Europeans.”

Visitors are the main customers of Thailand’s cannabis stores, says Mendel Menachem, spokesperson for High Thailand , a website cataloguing these dispensaries. Popular Thai destinations Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, and Chiang Mai each have many shops where tourists can freely buy the drug.

More than one million Thai residents have registered to grow cannabis legally, says Pipatpong Fakfare, assistant professor of tourism at Bangkok University. But he warns that Thailand’s cannabis laws are complicated. Legal cannabis products there cannot contain more than 0.2 percent THC.

That’s a very low level for recreational marijuana. California dispensaries sell cannabis with 35 percent THC. “I think we need a firm guideline and regulation on where and how cannabis should be sold or distributed here before Thailand could become a cannabis capital,” says Fakfare.

( How did Thailand’s ‘Egg Boy’ statue become a tourism phenomenon? )

By comparison, Germany is unlikely to embrace cannabis tourism if it legalizes the drug, says Julius Arnegger from the German Institute for Tourism Research. “Politicians in favor of liberalization of cannabis are keen to explain there will be no cannabis tourism as a result of the [proposed] new law,” says Arnegger.

“They explicitly point to the Netherlands as a model to be avoided. Under the new law, cannabis shall only be available for purchase in limited quantities and for own consumption by persons who are registered in so-called cannabis clubs, which will make purchases difficult for international tourists.”

No European destination will rush to become the next Amsterdam, says O’Regan. “I don’t think any city wants to repeat the same experience and have tourists fly from across the region to consume drugs,” he says. “Barcelona was using a similar club model [as Germany has proposed], and many clubs were open to tourists. However, this led to a proliferation of clubs and recruiters who approached tourists to sell club memberships. This has led to a recent crackdown in Barcelona on all clubs.”

( Here’s how to explore Ibiza beyond the nightclubs .)

Meanwhile, a lower profile cannabis tourism scene is developing in Africa . South Africa, for one, decriminalized cannabis use in private spaces in 2018.

“South Africa's cannabis tourism is poised to be a major niche tourism segment for the country,” says Tafadzwa Matiza , tourism lecturer at North-West University. He says the sale of hemp-based fabrics, clothing, and food products may create further economic opportunities. South Africa also has an increasing number of marijuana tours and “bud and breakfast” venues, which offer both accommodation and legal cannabis.

Cannabis tourism in the Americas is also expanding, says Grand Valley State University tourism lecturer John Lipford . His home state, Michigan , which is on target to exceed $3 billion in cannabis sales this year, has an array of marijuana-themed accommodations, restaurants, and festivals.

So, too, does Canada and the U.S. states of Colorado , California, Oregon , and Washington . In the future, Lipford says, cannabis tourism could boom in Costa Rica , Panama , Argentina , Brazil , Colombia , Ecuador , and Peru —all of which have loosened their marijuana laws in recent years.

( Science is seeking to understand how marijuana works and how it can fight disease .)

Cannabis tourism etiquette

Lipford cautions cannabis tourists to research stores where they can safely purchase marijuana. Find out whether public smoking is permitted, the potency of cannabis products offered, and whether there are legal gray areas between medicinal and recreational use. “That means all the difference between having a pleasant holiday or potentially being locked up abroad,” he says.

Disrespectful behavior by tourists is perhaps the greatest threat to the future of cannabis travel, Lipford says. “It is not wise for cannabis tourists to believe they are in some sort of sheltered play land where the rules don’t apply to them, or that they will be safe during their experience,” he says.

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‘Party City’ Amsterdam to Crack Down on Tourists

Amsterdam. Photo: Bert Kaufmann, Flickr

Amsterdam is seeking to contain the flood of tourists swamping the city, with the incoming council proposing a series of tough measures and plans to hike tourism taxes.

Some 18 million tourists visit Amsterdam every year — more than the entire population of the Netherlands —  and local residents have become increasingly fed-up at the deluge.

The city’s picturesque narrow streets and canals now sag year round under the weight of all the visitors, including increasing numbers of raucous and unruly stag and hen parties.

Under a plan “to seek a new balance” put forward by the four parties forming the city’s next coalition council, popular activities like beer-bikes and boozy boat trips will be sharply curtailed.

Bye bye 'beer bike'? Amsterdam determined to tame tourism https://t.co/GFV7dikqv8 pic.twitter.com/2X9GcabLt5 — Reuters (@Reuters) May 16, 2018

“Tourism is part of the international culture of Amsterdam, which we should continue to cherish,” the plan says, a copy of which was obtained Thursday by AFP. But due to “nuisance, crowds and rubbish, some neighbourhoods are under extreme pressure.”

Amsterdam is first and foremost “a city to live in and to do business,” the plan says, adding “it is only secondly a tourist destination.”

From 2019 tourist taxes will be hiked to 7.0 percent, while the city will also look at ways to cut back on the number of hotel rooms.

In some swamped neighbourhoods a total ban on holiday rentals may be introduced, and plans for a new passenger terminal for large cruise ships will be scrapped.

“We are looking for an alternative location outside of Amsterdam,” the plan says.

The city already announced in January that it would impose a new 30-day curb on the renting of private homes via websites like online booking giant Airbnb from next year. And this will be strictly enforced, the parties pledged.

Staff Writer

AFP with The Globe Post

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Spain, Greece, Italy take bold first steps to reduce tourism

The European Union holiday destinations and hotspots are looking to ban cruise ships from docking there at all as tourism numbers surge.

• 17:30, 6 SEP 2024

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A cruise crackdown will see Spain, Greece and Italy introducing rules to reduce tourism. The European Union holiday destinations and hotspots are looking to ban cruise ships from docking there at all as tourism numbers surge.

In 2021, Venice barred large cruise ships from anchoring in its historic centre . Damage to the lagoon saw UNESCO threaten to put the city on its endangered list unless they were permanently banned. They argue that the big ships cause pollution and erode the foundations of the city - which already suffers from regular flooding.

The ban means that large cruise and container vessels can no longer enter Venice’s Giudecca canal. In June, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis vowed to put a cap on cruise tourism to some of the most struggling islands. He said: “I think we’ll do it next year...Santorini is the most sensitive, Mykonos will be the second.

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“There are people spending a lot of money to be on Santorini and they don’t want the island to be swamped. Plus, the island can’t afford it, even in terms of security." In Spain, Palma de Mallorca looks set to reintroduce limits on cruise liners which were first imposed in 2022.

This will see only three ships allowed in port each day with only one permitted to have a capacity of more than 5,000 passengers. In Amsterdam, the city council voted to shut down its cruise terminal in a bid to curb pollution and reduce tourist numbers.

Last year, local political leader Ilana Rooderkerk compared cruise passengers who descend on the city to a "plague of locusts". Cruise lines were among the first companies in the maritime sector to commit to cutting carbon emissions by 40 per cent by 2030, according to CLIA. Some have even signed up to pledges to reach net zero by 2050.

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