The red-light district is one of the biggest tourist attractions not only in Amsterdam but in the whole Netherlands. The masses of tourists arriving in the district cause problems and the city, amid their struggle against over-tourism, is ready to react. The Dutch capital wants to ban tours around the famous district.
The so-called Wallen lies in the oldest part of Amsterdam. The prostitutes sit in red-lit windows and offer their services. Due to a large number of tourists, the narrow streets are crowded, especially at night and on weekends. This has led the municipality to act, justifying the decision to ban tours in the district.
The total ban of the guided tours should apply from January 1, 2020. From April 1 this year, guided tours will be prohibited after 7 pm. According to deputy mayor Udo Kock, guided tours along the windows of sex workers are “not respectful” and it is “out of date to treat sex workers as a tourist attraction”.
Residents of the neighborhood and business owners had complained about the ‘harassment’. More than 80% of sex company employees have spoken of negative consequences in a survey of the city. Each week around 1000 groups are led through the district. With 21 million tourists arriving in the Dutch capital last year, it was necessary to take at least some measure to regulate the constantly rising inflow.