Amsterdam bans some tours to red-light district

Amsterdam is set to ban free tours of its famous red-light district citing damage to the city’s historic district, De Wallen, from the effects of over-tourism.

Newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reports that more than 1,000 tour groups stop in Oudekerksplein, a square in the middle of the red-light district, every week, causing major overcrowding at peak times.

In a statement, deputy mayor of the city Udo Kock said it was also no longer acceptable or appropriate to “see sex workers as a tourist attraction”.

“We are banning tours that take visitors along sex workers’ windows, not only because we want to prevent overcrowding in the red-light district, but also because it is not respectful to sex workers,” he said.

In a survey, 80% of sex workers said gawping tourists “put off” potential clients.

The city will also be lowering the size limit of paid for tours to fifteen from twenty and adding an “entertainment tax” that must be paid for each person on the tours.

In further measures to protect its citizens and cultural history, Amsterdam city council has increased tourist taxes, along with introducing restrictions on renting out AirBnbs and tourist-centric shops and boutiques in the city centre.

The new rules will come into force on January 1 2020

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