Over the past four years, the Amsterdam City government has continuously issued many measures to limit the situation of tourist overload. Recently, Amsterdam has approved an increase in accommodation tax from the beginning of 2024 for this purpose.
Accordingly, the new announcement makes it clear that Amsterdam says no to new hotels. The local government is determined to make the city a livable place for residents and visitors. This means: No over-tourism, no new hotels and no more than 20 million overnight stays per year.
The government of Amsterdam, Netherlands has continuously issued many measures to limit the situation of tourist overload.
Amsterdam city council rules state that a new hotel can only be built if another hotel closes. New hotels cannot exceed the number of beds of existing hotels and must be “better” with more modern and sustainable features.
After hitting a record of more than 20 million visitors (while the population was less than 1 million) three years ago, it seems that Amsterdam no longer wants to see this scenario repeated. The ban on new hotel construction is one of Amsterdam's initiatives to limit the number of tourists pouring into the city. In June 2023, the City Council passed the Amsterdam Tourism Balance Policy, which sets a maximum number of overnight stays and day trips in the city, capping the annual number of visitors at 20 million people per year.
In addition, Amsterdam has also stepped up some “deterrent” measures. The city is open and hospitable to those who come to Amsterdam for sightseeing and cultural tourism, but is “tough” on tourists who come to Amsterdam just for drinking and partying.
While sustainability organizations say Amsterdam's new regulations are a step in the right direction toward responsible tourism, the European Tourism Association is more cautious and reserved.
