![]() “Amsterdam does not want to be known as the city of coffee shops and the Red Light District. The latest campaign is part of the city council’s mission to present Amsterdam in a new light, leaving behind its notorious reputation as a party destination where anything goes. “If your intention is to booze and misbehave, dressed like a penis, look elsewhere!” “If it is your intention to see the most beautiful city in the world this summer, come to Amsterdam,” said Hefland. Local councilor Rob Hefland summed the situation up bluntly in an interview with the DutchNews website. Some of the worst excesses of tourist behavior are often heralded by loud voices speaking in British accents belonging to outlandishly attired bachelor or “stag” parties.Ĭovid lifted Prague's hangover. When surveyed, 45% of British respondents said the campaign had made them more aware of the impact of disruptive behavior.Īnyone who has visited Amsterdam in recent years, will understand why. Titled “Enjoy & Respect,” it warned both British and Dutch tourists that they risked €140 ($170) fines if they were caught urinating in public, disturbing the peace in the center or littering. That same year, Amsterdam successfully targeted British male tourists with a campaign discouraging anti-social behavior. In 2019, around 20 million international tourists visited the Dutch capital, with 70% coming from neighboring countries Germany, and Belgium, as well as the UK. ![]() REMKO DE WAAL/ANP/AFP via Getty ImagesĬurrently targeting British men, aged 18 to 34 who are considering a trip to the Dutch capital, the campaign is to be rolled out to target groups in other countries over the next few months. The city council has launched an online compaign making it clear that only "respectful" tourists will be welcome in Amsterdam. In truth, Amsterdam has been struggling with the impact of tourists causing excessive noise, littering and urinating in public for years amid growing disgruntlement among residents. We got our city back and liked it that way.” No more large groups thronging the canal area, at worst throwing up from drink and drugs. “But it was a bonus during the pandemic when they couldn’t come. “Amsterdam needs tourists, without them our wonderful museums and restaurants wouldn’t survive,” says Nicola Theobald, who has lived in the center of the city for 30 years. Now they’re not sure they want to give them back. ![]() Amsterdam’s well-known tolerance of recreational drugs and sex has long attracted tourists in search of the seedier side to the city of canals and cycle paths.īut when border closures and lockdowns brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic emptied the Dutch capital of all visitors, many locals found the absence of the noisier, intoxicated ones to be a breath of fresh air.ĭelighted by the calm atmosphere of their newly deserted historic city center and picturesque waterways, residents reclaimed sections of the city they’d avoided for years.
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