Amsterdam Bans New Hotel Construction To Battle Overtourism

23.04.2024 - 16:19 / travelpulse.com / Laurie Baratti

In a bid to tackle overtourism and ensure the city’s livability, Amsterdam officials have announced a bold new policy banning the building of new hotels in the bustling Dutch capital, The Washington Post reported. 

The new measures, outlined in Wednesday’s announcement, prohibit the construction of any new hotels unless they are replacing old ones that have shut down. Even then, the new accommodations cannot surpass the bed count of their predecessors and must be “better”, which the release said might mean more modern or sustainable. Officials are also pushing for hoteliers to select sites outside the congested historic city center. 

This move comes as part of a series of efforts aimed at curbing the overwhelming influx of tourists into the city, which is widely known as a destination with lax drug policies, legalized sex work and an overall tolerance for intense partying. 

In the Dutch capital, people can legally purchase up to five grams of cannabis, a substance that is widely available in coffee shops and cafes around the city. Its famous neon-lit Red-Light District not only has prostitutes who display themselves behind windows but also sex theatres, peep shows, strip clubs and sex shops, as well as a variety of bars, clubs, cinemas and even museums. 

All of this has historically led to a constant flood of “nuisance” tourists that flock to the city for nights of uninhibited revelry, although, in recent years, the local government and officials have begun waging serious campaigns to curb this sort of disruptive behavior. 

Last year, the city council implemented the "Tourism in Balance in Amsterdam" policy, which limited the number of visitors allowed in the city each year, counting both overnight stays and day visits. Given that the visitor total in 2023 was 20,665,000, the newly released policy serves to reinforce that regulation. 

Also in 2023, Amsterdam introduced its “Stay Away” initiative, which is aimed at deflecting a certain demographic from coming to engage in rowdy behavior—specifically, British men between the ages of 18 and 35, who frequently come to the city for their “stag” (bachelor) parties and go buck wild, annoying residents. 

In addition, hoping to discourage distasteful visitor behavior, the city banned marijuana smoking on the streets of its Red-Light District, while simultaneously reducing the opening hours of certain restaurants and brothels, and imposing some alcohol restrictions. 

Furthermore, the city officials have also greenlit a proposal to relocate a cruise ship terminal, not only to address environmental concerns but also to alleviate the congestion caused by hordes of tourists disembarking in the city center. And, just this week, Amsterdam officials also announced