Targeting Young British Men
Amsterdam has launched a new online campaign to tackle nuisance tourism and is specifically targeting young British men. The city council is concerned that such visitors often engage in disrespectful behavior that can damage the city’s reputation.
The campaign aims to discourage disruptive behavior by visitors who come to Amsterdam primarily for alcohol, drugs, and visits to the red light district. Deputy mayor Sofyan Mbarki said the message was clear: visitors are welcome to the city, but not if they cause a disturbance.
Video Advertisements Warn Visitors
The campaign targets visitors between the ages of 18 and 35 and includes video advertisements warning them about drinking too much, taking drugs, or causing trouble through antisocial behavior. The ads show the risks and consequences of such behavior and are aimed at individuals searching for terms like “stag party Amsterdam,” “cheap hotel Amsterdam,” or “pub crawl Amsterdam.”
Reducing Nuisance Tourism
The aim of the campaign is to reduce nuisance tourism and encourage responsible behavior from visitors. Amsterdam is taking measures against excessive tourism and nuisance, and they are taking more measures than other large European cities. The city council has initiated several measures to discourage rowdy mass tourism, including banning outdoor marijuana smoking in the red light district, considering a new location for an erotic center away from the district, and talking to bachelor party providers to reduce nuisance tourism.
How to Amsterdam Campaign
Amsterdam will launch a “How to Amsterdam” campaign aimed at visitors already in the city, warning them about drunkenness, causing too much noise, buying drugs from street dealers, and the ban on urinating in public. This campaign seeks to make the city more sustainable for residents, business visits, and family-friendly travel.
The Stay Away campaign aims not only to clean up Amsterdam’s reputation but also to make the city a safer and more enjoyable place for everyone. The city council is awaiting research results on the possibility of applying a tourist tax, among other measures.
Ban on Marijuana Use on Streets
Amsterdam has announced a ban on the use of marijuana on the street and several restrictions on alcohol use in its red light district. About 10-15% of the city’s tourist industry is based in this district. Lawmakers are proposing other measures to counter mass tourism, such as earlier closing times for brothels and bars, a ban on cannabis smoking in public in central Amsterdam, and research on the effectiveness of tourist taxes.
Concerns about Over-Tourism
Amsterdam is expected to receive more than 18 million overnight visitors this year, which is the number at which the city council is “obliged to intervene” under a 2021 ordinance called “Amsterdam Tourism in Balance.” The ordinance sets the cap on visitors at 20 million, and the municipal executive must take action if visitors surpass 18 million. Amsterdam’s housing availability, employment makeup, and prices are skewed due to the city receiving over 20 million visitors annually while its residential population is under a million.
Conclusion:
It remains to be seen how effective Amsterdam’s new online campaign will be in deterring nuisance tourism. However, it is clear that many cities around the world are grappling with over-tourism and are seeking ways to manage visitor numbers responsibly. Hopefully, this campaign will help ensure that future visitors come to enjoy all that Amsterdam has to offer without causing undue disruption or damage to the city.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
