The Dutch capital of Amsterdam has joined other European hotspots where residents’ backlash against the ever-increasing number of tourists is gathering pace, with residents taking to the streets over the weekend.
Amsterdam, like a growing number of European cities, is trying to move to a new model of tourism, which focuses on fewer, high-spending middle-class tourists who stay for longer.
One the city known for its century-old canals and museums celebrating the works of Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Vermeer, Amsterdam’s reputation has since become marred by out-of-place modern hotels, giant cruise ships and stag parties.
The “Het is Genoeg”, or “that’s enough”, campaign was launched outside a controversial new city centre hotel – a design which has been compared to a motorway toilet.
“Another one of those horrible hotels, which attract even more tourists and look awful,” said Dingeman Coumou, the organiser of the campaign, according to The Times. “The Diamond has become a symbolic place for us.”
The new hotel replaced the former Heineken Hoek, or corner, an iconic meeting place and landmark with neon signs and two giant beer glass advertisements on its roof.
“The tourism that is flooding our city has now become disruptive. It ensures that our children can no longer live in the city because of the high real estate prices, it creates a monoculture but, above all, the centre of Amsterdam is becoming unliveable because of the crowds,” said Coumou.
One of the key issues the city suffers from is in its old town and red-light district, renowned for its legalised brothels and sex workers in shop windows.
These have become a particular problem for the authorities, who have to deal with groups of young men – often Brits – drunk or stoned on drugs sold in Amsterdam’s cannabis cafes, who create noise and nuisance for locals.
“You have to fight your way through the crowds to get home,” said Ed Huijg, one of the protesters, who lives in the Wallen red-light district.
With visitor numbers not showing any sign of slowing down and locals becoming angrier, Amsterdam’s administration has pledged to end over-tourism and clean up the city, offering up 12 million euros of extra spending this year.
Last year, about 22 million overnight stays were made in the city’s hotels and other accommodations, two million more than the target.
Between 22.9 million and 25.4 million visitors are expected to have visited this year, with numbers expected to increase again to 26.6 million by 2026.
Frits Huffnagel, a former city councillor responsible for tourism, coined the successful phrase “I Amsterdam,” which was displayed in giant letters on the national Rijksmuseum until 2018.
“You shouldn’t say: let everyone come and p*** and puke in my city. You have to take action against those people,” he told the NOS state broadcaster.
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