Amsterdam is making a major push to rid the city of its reputation as a hub for excess. The Dutch government’s latest proposals are aimed at curbing bad tourist behavior, particularly around drugs, alcohol, and sex. The measures include limiting the number of river cruises, introducing earlier closing times for bars, clubs, and window brothels, as well as banning cannabis smoking in certain parts of the city.
In recent years, Amsterdam has experienced an influx of foreign tourists drawn by its reputation as a party city. This has led to numerous problems with excessive drinking, drug use, and prostitution. The recently released an official statement outlining their plan to make Amsterdam more ‘civilised’:
The statement read: “The number one challenge facing our beloved capital is how to make it an attractive destination that people can enjoy without having to worry about things like drugs and alcohol abuse or inappropriate behavior. We want to ensure visitors feel welcome, safe, and respected when visiting our wonderful city.”
To achieve this goal, the ministry plans to implement several measures to reduce bad tourist behavior. These include introducing strict guidelines on river cruises in order to keep them from becoming too rowdy; implementing earlier closing times for bars, clubs, and window brothels; and banning cannabis smoking in certain areas of the city altogether. Additionally, local authorities will work with police forces to patrol areas known for misbehavior more actively.
The government also aims to create more opportunities for locals who live near tourist attractions so that they don’t have to suffer from overcrowding due to large numbers of visitors. For example, they plan on creating special business zones where locals can set up shops or eateries in order to take advantage of tourism traffic without having their neighborhoods taken over by it.
It remains unclear if these initiatives will be enough to rid Amsterdam of its rowdy reputation among tourists but it is clear that the Dutch government is taking steps towards achieving this goal.