James Rodger & James Rodger
·2-min read
Amsterdam has rolled out a new stringent policy against UK tourists, echoing Tenerife's recent stance against holidaymakers. The Dutch capital is taking serious measures to manage the influx of its 20 million annual visitors, including those from the UK, in the wake of the pandemic.
In a bold move, Amsterdam officials have imposed an immediate ban on the construction of new hotels. Future hotel developments will now hinge on the condition that they replace existing ones, effectively capping the number of hotels in the city.
Moreover, Amsterdam is setting a cap on tourist overnight stays, with the local government declaring: "We want to make and keep the city liveable for residents and visitors," adding, "This means: no over-tourism, no new hotels, and no more than 20 million hotel overnight stays by tourists per year."
READ MORE - Majorca announces new 'surveillance' on UK tourists with mobile phone checks
READ MORE - Foreign Office advice for Brits heading to Spain, France, Italy, Greece & more
The city isn't stopping there; it's also targeting river cruises, which swell during the warmer months. According to Hester van Buren, the city's finance chief, speaking to Dutch News, around 1,000 river cruises dock in Amsterdam each spring and summer, causing significant disruption.
Van Buren, while presenting the plan, stated: "I am not saying this is going to solve the problem of too many tourists," but clarified, "But we are not going to divide tourists up into good and bad. This is one of a string of measures to reduce the number of tourists in total.", reports Birmingham Live.
"It is about the overcrowding and the coaches parked all over the pavements."
"Overtourism is a worldwide problem, and tourists don't like it when places are so full either," said Van Buren. "But we can't simply put a fence around Amsterdam."
In defence of the policy, a Brit stated: "Amsterdam and Tenerife are poles apart. Amsterdam was there as a city long before tourists existed. Unless you count the Romans or similar."
