Dutch Government set plan to reduce tourism

[Panna King]

Quote

 

There is a real risk that the city centre is turning into a massive theme park and that has to be fought against on all fronts, the four parties say. Some 18 million tourists – both from the Netherlands and abroad – are expected to visit the Dutch capital this year. GroenLinks, D66, the Labour party and Socialists are in talks on forming a new city council executive and have decided to publish part of their plans already. The main points include: An increase in tourist taxes Permits for tourist guides who operate outside the red light district,  Tougher rules for horse-drawn carriages, beer bikes and other ‘fun’ transport,  A ban on coaches within the A10 ring road,  Canal cruise boat terminals to be moved outside the city centre,  A 30 day limit for Airbnb rentals and a complete ban on holiday rentals to tourists in some areas,  The cruise terminal to be closed to allow the Java bridge to be built,  A ban on ‘floating hotels’ Amsterdam Marketing to be reformed into an expertise centre for promoting culture,  A ban on new branches of large retail and restaurant chains,  More street cleaners and rubbish collectors.  ‘Tourism is part of Amsterdam’s international culture and we have to cherish that,’ the four parties say in the document.

‘But the positive sides to tourism – the jobs and income for the city – are being overshadowed by the negative sides,’ the parties say. ‘A new balance is needed in which residents are central and visitors are welcome’. The outgoing administration has already pledged to introduce some of these measures, such as a ban on coaches within the ring road and limits to Airbnb rentals. Canal boat rental firms have condemned the plan to move their moorings outside the city centre. ‘It is not exactly practical,’ Peter Duwel, chairman of the boat operator association Vevag. ‘First visitors will have to leave the city to find a boat and afterwards they will have to walk back again.’

 

Very strange as most countries want more tourism, I do have a place I own a place in Amsterdam in the centre on the Singel which is walking distance from everything but with the train services getting more direct from Europe to Amsterdam with the likes of Eurostar now  direct from London,  it is a lot busier before then last few years.    A lot of Amsterdam now these days is very trendy and has cleaned up massively, areas like de Pijp and The Jordaan.  It is nice now people are not just coming here for just the red light area, which  has reduced by size,  The goverment also are on the crackdown with smoking weed as well outside a controlled zone.     Still not sure how you can turn away tourists though, as long as the culture of the city is not getting spoilt. 

 

 

[nudge]

Can't blame them, they surely have had enough of drunken trashy Brits on stag do thrashing the city and urinating in the canals 

[Panna King]

2 minutes ago, nudge said:

Can't blame them, they surely have had enough of drunken trashy Brits on stag do thrashing the city and urinating in the canals 

Yes especially after the last football game a couple of months,   they shouldn't of allowed the Eurostar direct from London, it takes 3 hours and 20 mins direct,   so there will be more of them now who will be tanked up on the train before they reach the city centre  

[Spike]

Should focus on terrorism before tourism tbqh fam

[Panna King]

11 minutes ago, Spike said:

Should focus on terrorism before tourism tbqh fam

That is why people are coming to Amsterdam as they feel safer then in Paris and Brussels. 

[Spike]

4 minutes ago, Panna King said:

That is why people are coming to Amsterdam as they feel safer then in Paris and Brussels. 

I was joking because I thought that is what the thread said!

[Smiley Culture]

43 minutes ago, Panna King said:

Yes especially after the last football game a couple of months,   they shouldn't of allowed the Eurostar direct from London, it takes 3 hours and 20 mins direct,   so there will be more of them now who will be tanked up on the train before they reach the city centre  

It takes about an hour and fifteen (maybe less) to fly there. The train is time consuming and more expensive. 

[Panna King]

5 minutes ago, Smiley Culture said:

It takes about an hour and fifteen (maybe less) to fly there. The train is time consuming and more expensive. 

I am going by the British tourists as it benefits people around the London area, if you consider the travel time to the airport, waiting at the airport for boarding which you can wait around for several hours,  The train is overall quicker and much more relaxing,  I have done it very recently and loved the experience.   If you live outside of London then of course the plane is best.   The train from Brussels Midi to Amsterdam takes 1 hour 50 with Thalys,  I think its around 2 hours 50 from Paris to Amsterdam. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

It's interesting because most countries want to bring in more tourists as tourism = people with disposable income pouring their money into the country. But Amsterdam attracts people looking to party really hard and I'm not surprised they're tired of drunken stoned idiots fucking things up for everyone around them.

Things like AirBnB are getting heat in a lot of metro areas around the world because not all tourists are nice people and some people coming into residential communities are total dickholes who piss off people who live there full time, and these people complain to politicians, and also because the hotel industry hates these things and they also complain to politicians (and also pay them).

But also there've been more controls on weed & the red light district area has gotten smaller over time, as @Panna King has said. So it does seem a bit weird to not want more tourist money if the problems there aren't too bad.

Fuck whatever the Dutch government says though, Amsterdam is fucking class and you should go if you ever get a chance.

[Danny]

I imagine Amsterdam attracts absolute nightmares, horny lads after drugs and brass', stag do's etc. I still find it funny a city can be world famous for drugs, prostitution and Anne Frank.

[Honey Honey]

If it really is about partying then none of these proposals have much to do about it at all. 

In fact it seems the absolute opposite. Looks like they want less selfie stick dullards and more A&E day trippers.

[Harry]

Plenty of major European cities residents complain about to many tourists. Could this just be a populist move? 

[Panna King]

It seems another way to tax the workers and businesses who deal with the tourists,  also with AirBNB, they want to ban them as the owners probably only pay tax if they declare they are receiving money from their rental property, the goverment are looking for ways they can cash in on the large number of tourists now visiting.   What was once a tolerate city is becoming a police state. 

[nudge]

15 minutes ago, Panna King said:

It seems another way to tax the workers and businesses who deal with the tourists,  also with AirBNB, they want to ban them as the owners probably only pay tax if they declare they are receiving money from their rental property, the goverment are looking for ways they can cash in on the large number of tourists now visiting.   What was once a tolerate city is becoming a police state. 

Talking about AirBnB, the Court ruled yesterday that it's illegal in Thailand for daily and weekly rentals (while it's still ok for monthly bookings). Their reasoning is that it contravened regulations surrounding hotels (i.e. I take it hotels don't like competition, haha, and the government want taxes paid...)

[Dr. Gonzo]

4 hours ago, nudge said:

Talking about AirBnB, the Court ruled yesterday that it's illegal in Thailand for daily and weekly rentals (while it's still ok for monthly bookings). Their reasoning is that it contravened regulations surrounding hotels (i.e. I take it hotels don't like competition, haha, and the government want taxes paid...)

I live in downtown San Diego and its the same for just the downtown part of the city. Which is coincidentally covered in hotels.

[Panna King]

22 hours ago, nudge said:

Talking about AirBnB, the Court ruled yesterday that it's illegal in Thailand for daily and weekly rentals (while it's still ok for monthly bookings). Their reasoning is that it contravened regulations surrounding hotels (i.e. I take it hotels don't like competition, haha, and the government want taxes paid...)

Yeah also in Hotels you have to pay city tax which is about 5% you probably dont pay that with airbnb to rent a place. 

[Panflute]

That's right, piss off!