To curb overcrowding, Amsterdam has decided to ban the construction of new hotels. The Dutch capital also plans to cut back on river cruise stays in a bid to combat overtourism.
The City Council took up X and posted the following:
“Our goal is to maintain the liveability of our cities for both residents and visitors. This includes combating overtourism, halting new hotel development, and reducing the annual number of guests in tourist hotels. This includes a cap of 20 million people.
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According to reports, a new hotel can only be built if another hotel closes. According to a statement from the City Council, construction of new facilities aimed at maintaining the same total number of accommodation facilities but enhancing existing standards such as sustainability will be permitted. However, this does not apply to hotels that have already obtained a building permit.
Amsterdam is aggressively implementing strategies to ease the influx of tourists, which number in the millions each year, by discouraging sex and drug-related tourism, especially in the red-light district.
The intentions of tourists visiting the Dutch capital have repeatedly come under scrutiny from local residents. In 2023, an astonishing 49.7 million guests will choose accommodation in hotels, campsites and holiday parks across the Netherlands. This corresponds to an increase of 8.1 percent compared to 2022, setting a new record.
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Meanwhile, Amsterdam is also considering significantly reducing the number of riverboat cruises as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat overtourism. The move is just one of “100” measures being implemented to address the issue.
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Last year, about 2,300 cruise ships docked on the city’s waterfront. However, Amsterdam aims to halve this number to 1,150 by 2028, which would result in 271,000 fewer tourists per year. Nevertheless, this reduction is expected to have an annual impact of €73.5 million on the regional economy.
The challenges posed by the influx of cruise passengers are especially evident during the spring bulb season, when up to 1,000 riverboats converge on the capital. “We have a commitment to keep visitor numbers below 20 million a year,” said City Finance Director Hester Van Buren.
“Overtourism is a global problem, and tourists themselves are deterred when destinations become crowded,” said City Finance Director Van Buren. “However, we recognize that simply closing down Amsterdam is not a viable solution. “I am,” he emphasized.
