A European city which sees 12 visitors for every resident is cracking down on overtourism.
As one of Europe’s top tourist hotspots, Amsterdam is renowned globally for its canals, history, impressive architecture and the infamous red light district.
With 22 million overnight tourists the city is buckling under the increased amount of tourists who are affecting residents’ quality of life, increasing pollution and litter the streets.
Visitor numbers hit 15.1 million in 2023, up 2.5 million from 2019.
Frustrated by the influx of drunken stag parties, the city has banned the construction of new hotels and has one of the world’s highest tourist taxes at 12.5 percent on overnight stays.
To further mitigate over tourism the Dutch city is prohibiting large tourist coaches in the central areas and enforcing earlier closing times for bars and clubs in the Red Light District. From 2035, cruise ships will also be prohibited from docking.
Just 100 cruise ships will be allowed to dock in its harbour in 2026, down from 190 at present after cries from residents for a drop in tourism.
In a statement released by the council, it said reducing pollution is a priority.
The statement read: “Sea cruises are polluting and cause crowds and emissions in the city. We want Amsterdam to be clean, livable, and sustainable.”
A 2021 study found that one cruise carrying thousands of passengers can result in the same levels of emissions per day as 30,000 trucks.
In 2024, the council ceased granting new permits for souvenir shops. Last year saw the launch of a ‘stay away’ campaign aimed at reducing the influx of 18 to 35-year-olds coming to the city for partying.
Mirror Reporter Cyann Fielding, who had visited Amsterdam in her youth, was eager to rediscover the city despite being aware of its overtourism issues.
Upon arrival, however, she found that waste littering the streets and tourists purchasing hard, illegal drugs were significant problems.
Cyann also found that tourists are flocking to the Van Stapele area to buy a trendy cookie, causing daily queues that obstruct the pavement and inconvenience pedestrians in this high-traffic area, according to The Mirror.
Earlier this year Amsterdam took the bizarre move to hide key landmarks from tourists by implementing plans of how to steer visitors away from popular landmarks and destinations where the crowds are often huge.
It instead diverted crowds through hidden gem areas that are often overlooked with hopes to reduce overcrowding and offer visitors a more authentic experience.
