New ‘tourist shops’ banned in Amsterdam

‘The balance is missing. We are only getting more of the same, and that is not good for our quality of life’

AMSTERDAM has announced a ban on new shops aimed at tourists – effectively limiting the abundance of places hiring bikes and selling souvenirs, tour tickets and ubiquitous waffles.

After mounting rage from locals – who wrote collectively to the mayor to protest against the “Disneyfication” of the city centre – the Dutch capital has decided no more tourist shops will get licences in the central area.

“Nowhere else in the world has such a decision been made,” said Kajsa Ollongren, the deputy mayor. “The balance is missing. We are only getting more of the same, and that is not good for our quality of life.”

It is estimated that there are 280 such shops in the centre, while tourist numbers have increased to 17 million visitors a year in the latest estimates, a tenth of them hosted by Airbnb.

In May, Frans van der Avert, chief executive of Amsterdam Marketing, told a tourism conference that the city was aiming to “increase the quality of visitors”, rather than hosting tourists “with no respect for [its] character”.

The latest ban will apply immediately in the city centre and 40 shopping streets.

“By not allowing new tourist shops to open we make sure our city centre remains attractive and liveable for Amsterdammers and our visitors,” said the deputy mayor.

“Tourists are very welcome, but we want to avoid mass tourism taking over entire streets and neighbourhoods.”