The Dutch capital of Amsterdam has announced that it will no longer permit any new hotel buildings as part of its mission to combat mass tourism. In a statement released on Wednesday, the local government declared: “We want to create and maintain an appealing atmosphere for both residents and tourists in our city – this means putting an end to overtourism while restricting the number of overnight stays by visitors to no more than 20 million annually.”
However, new hotels will still be allowed if they replace existing ones with a similar or lesser quantity of guest rooms. This ruling excludes sustainability measures; should future constructions adhere better eco-standards than current properties, permission could then potentially be granted despite the rise in room numbers. Nevertheless, it’s essential to note that this rule won’t apply to hotels already approved for construction beforehand.
Amsterdam has been attempting to regulate tourist influxes by discouraging sex and drug tourism within its red light district since last year. This is just one of many steps taken so far as the city seeks to counteract overtourist problems in Amsterdam’s streets, with cruise ships being banned from docking at their terminal earlier this month.
In 2019, officials implemented a ban on weed-smoking outdoors around certain zones; guided tours are no longer allowed to pass by the sex workers’ windows either as part of the same campaign against overtourism. The Amsterdam City Council has also mandated that tour operators must adhere strictly to predetermined routes and time limits in specific areas, such as Dam Square or Vondelpark’s busiest corners, when organising walking tours with large groups of tourists during peak seasons between March through October each year (a directive referred to under the ordinance “Amsterdam Tourism in Balance”).
This move by Amsterdam follows a trend set out earlier this month by Venice’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who declared that new hotel permits would be halted until further notice. In recent years, both cities have struggled with an influx of visitors resulting from increased marketing efforts aimed at boosting their economies and tourist appeal to foreign travellers – however, these strategies now appear counterproductive in the face of overwhelming numbers.
Venice authorities stated they expected half a million tourists in February 2019 alone but were forced to close St Mark’s Square due to overcrowding; Amsterdam has also experienced issues with excessive crowds at its popular sites, including Dam Square and Vondelpark during peak times last summer. A significant contributor behind the sudden influx is Chinese travel groups flocking towards Western European capitals en masse on coach tours for leisure breaks, cultural expeditions or just casual jaunts that see these towns transform into concrete playgrounds replete with endless rows of buses parked curbside every step along the way.
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