Amsterdam at its limit: Noise, dirt & binge drinking tourism | WDR documentary
It's a place of longing, with picturesque canals, crooked old houses, and colorful bicycles. Amsterdam's city center is considered one of the most beautiful in the world, easily accessible from North Rhine-Westphalia, and the perfect size for a weekend getaway. Visitors find countless photo opportunities, posting stroopwafels, boat tours, bicycles, romantic canals, and sunsets on Instagram and TikTok. And year after year, more tourists arrive: Over 23 million overnight stays are projected for 2024 – with a city center population of under 100,000. Amsterdammers now call the overcrowding "Overlast" – a nuisance – and complain about the noise, the dirt, the sheer number of people. They have therefore launched a petition demanding a cap on tourist numbers. But how can this be implemented?
For years, the city successfully relied on tourism growth. Now, politicians are trying to counteract this, particularly in the Red Light District, De Wallen. They've implemented bans on marijuana and alcohol on the streets, and campaigns aimed at deterring party tourists. So far, without measurable success. A ban on hotel construction is the latest of many measures Amsterdam has publicly announced. However, projects already approved will still be allowed to be built. Inner-city mayor Amélie Strens wants to bring storefronts back into city ownership, so that instead of fast-food stands and souvenir shops, they can be transformed into cafés for locals or stores selling everyday necessities.
Stephen Hodes is skeptical of the many small attempts to control the sheer volume of tourists. The Amsterdam native, who for many years headed the Netherlands Tourism Office in the USA, is convinced: "Tourists are like sheep; they always follow the flock." For years, he has been calling for decisive political action – fewer flights, fewer hotel beds.
Geerte Udo has a different idea. Until the middle of this year, she was the driving force behind Amsterdam's own marketing agency and, with the successful "I Amsterdam" campaign, ensured that more and more people visited Amsterdam each year. Their suggestion: Lure some of the tourists out of the city center and direct them to other locations in the surrounding area – to Zandvoort, renamed "Amsterdam Beach," to Keukenhof, the tulip fields near the city, and to Muiderslot, an old moated castle 15 km away. Could this work?
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🎥 A film for The Story by Patrick Wira.
This film was produced in 2024. All statements and facts reflect the situation at that time and have not been updated since.
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