“Twenty-two million tourists a year is too much! ” As foreign visitors return to Amsterdam after the health crisis, Femke Halsema, mayor of the city since 2018, testifies in an interview published by Bloomberg its determination to better protect the inhabitants from the deleterious effects of overtourism.
The absence of tourists for several months has allowed residents to reclaim the city center. In addition, Amsterdam has seen a new influx of expatriates following Brexit. Two phenomena that have made even more apparent the double problem facing the Dutch capital.
Solve the housing crisis
On the one hand – like London for years already – the city has become too expensive for its inhabitants, explains Femke Halsema:
“It is partly linked to its status as an international city: we welcome many expatriates, but this has consequences for the middle classes. It has become very difficult to find accommodation in Amsterdam, except for the richest.”
On the other hand, just like in Venice, the historic districts are now subject to such touristic pressure that it threatens to radically transform the character of the old districts:
“We don’t want Amsterdam to come to look like Venice or Dubrovnik, two cities whose historic center has become a theme park. These neighborhoods must remain inhabitable by their residents.”
However, there is no question for Femke Halsema of questioning the city’s tradition of hospitality or its cosmopolitan character:
“Amsterdam has always been and will remain an international city. We depend on international trade and many international companies are based in Amsterdam: the perspective will not change.”
On the other hand, the mayor announced a bold real estate program with the primary objective of retaining the middle and working classes in Amsterdam. “We are going to build complete new neighborhoods with 70,000 additional homes. Moreover, even if the density of the city is already remarkable, we believe that it is possible to increase it still further. In particular, we are studying all the possibilities of building housing on the water.”
Seduce a different type of tourist
But it is in terms of welcoming tourists that Femke Halsema’s proposals are the most spectacular. “We appreciate the presence of tourists, especially when they are attracted by the beauty of our city, by our museums or our nocturnal culture, would like to underline the first magistrate of Amsterdam. But we have a problem with some tourists – not with tourism itself, but with the behavior of a minority of tourists.”
On the program, a project to relocate the famous Red Light District outside the historic center. “We are looking for a suitable place elsewhere in the city. As you can imagine, it’s not easy: a lot of people in Amsterdam are in favor of a neighborhood dedicated to eroticism, but not in their backyard.”
The mayor would also like to temporarily ban tourists from accessing coffee shops, which are authorized to market cannabis in small quantities. In Amsterdam, the cannabis market has taken on considerable importance, explains Femke Halsema. “He handles a lot of money, which makes him very vulnerable to organized crime. We already have some 2,000 dealers downtown. Tourists buy their cannabis in coffee shops and buy cocaine on the street.”
The challenge: radically change the city’s image without breaking with its reputation for liberalism and tolerance. “The city center should be a rallying point for local progressive and liberal currents, declared Femke Halsema. That’s what it used to be: a place where Amsterdam mainstream and Amsterdam underground came together. It is this maverick Amsterdam that I want to revive.”
Unknown element
Unknown element
Unknown element
Unknown element
Unknown element
Unknown element
Unknown element
“We appreciate the presence of tourists. Especially when they are attracted by the beauty of our city, our museums or our nocturnal culture. But we have a problem with some tourists – not with tourism itself, but with the behavior of a minority of tourists.”