The Netherlands’ Amsterdam will no longer allow new hotel buildings to be built as part of its fight against mass tourism, the local government said on Wednesday, April 17. “We want to make and keep the city liveable for residents and visitors. This means: no overtourism, no new hotels, and no more than 20 million hotel overnight stays by tourists per year,” it said in a statement.
The city has been actively trying to limit tourist numbers, which run into the millions per year, mainly by discouraging sex and drug-related tourism to the red light district. This is the latest in a series of measures the Dutch capital has taken to mitigate the issue of overtourism in the city. Last year, the Amsterdam City Council voted to ban cruise ships and close its cruise terminal.