Amsterdam is seeking to contain the flood of tourists swamping the
city, with the incoming council proposing a series of tough measures and
plans to hike tourism taxes.
Some 18 million tourists visit Amsterdam every year -- more than the
entire population of the Netherlands -- and local residents have become
increasingly fed-up at the deluge.
The city's picturesque narrow streets and canals now sag year round
under the weight of all the visitors, including increasing numbers of
raucous and unruly stag and hen parties.
Under a plan "to seek a new balance" put forward by the four parties
forming the city's next coalition council, popular activities like
beer-bikes and boozy boat trips will be sharply curtailed.
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"Tourism is part of the international culture of Amsterdam, which we
should continue to cherish," the plan says, a copy of which was obtained
Thursday by AFP.
But due to "nuisance, crowds and rubbish, some neighborhoods are under extreme pressure."
Amsterdam is first and foremost "a city to live in and to do
business," the plan says, adding "it is only secondly a tourist
destination."
From 2019 tourist taxes will be hiked to 7.0 percent, while the city
will also look at ways to cut back on the number of hotel rooms.
In some swamped neighborhoods a total ban on holiday rentals may be
introduced, and plans for a new passenger terminal for large cruise
ships will be scrapped.
"We are looking for an alternative location outside of Amsterdam," the plan says.
The city already announced in January that it would impose a new
30-day curb on the renting of private homes via websites like online booking giant Airbnb from next year. And this will be strictly enforced,
the parties pledged.
Source - TheJakartaPost
