Amsterdam campaign launched to ban ‘puking’ Brit stag do boozers after locals complain city looks like a ‘giant theme park’
Politician Frits Huffnagel has proposed kicking out British stag parties from Amsterdam
A DUTCH politician has called for “drunk and puking stag parties” to be banned from Amsterdam in the latest attempt to crack down on the so-called “Disneyfication” of the city.
Much like residents in Venice and Barcelona, locals in Amsterdam have voiced concerns about the negative impact of mass tourism.
Residents complained tourism was “now out of hand” and the Dutch capital was at risk of becoming a “consumption ghetto”.
One radical measure put forward by politician Frits Huffnagel is to kick out British stag parties.
He said: “Amsterdam can better focus on banning groups of drunk, puking stag parties, for example from England. That is what really causes trouble.”
Earlier this year a new city coalition government announced a raft of other proposals to crack down on nuisance tourism.
This included limiting “fun rides” such as beer bikes, Segways and boozy boat trips, diverting cruise ships from docking in the city centre and banning Airbnb short-term rentals in the busiest areas.
The existing tourist tax is also set to rise from between 4 and 6 per cent to 7 per cent, a move that is estimated to raise £80million a year by 2022.
A £200,000 campaign – called Enjoy and Respect - has also been launched to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Urinating in a canal, for instance, risks a fine of €140, while public drunkenness will cost €95.
Disturbing the peace in public places or dropping litter could set tourists back €140.
Yvette Hofman, spokesperson for the green-Left party GroenLinks, said: “We have to ensure that the city stays liveable for all residents.”
To a certain extent, the problem is of the city’s own making.
During the global financial crisis of 2008, Amsterdam invested heavily in tourism in an effort to recover.
But many now feel mass tourism in the city is pushing the locals away.
Stephen Hodes, who started independent thinktank Amsterdam in Progress, said: “It’s a city where freedom is important and you have to accept a degree of nuisance, but it’s now out of hand.
“The crux of the problem is that there are too many tourists. The only thing to do is to take radical measures, otherwise it’s a consumption ghetto, not a city where people live.”
With police struggling to keep control, Amsterdam’s ombudsman Arre Zuurmond even warned Amsterdam was at risk of becoming a lawless “urban jungle”.
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In another move to limit tourism this week, the city council has proposed removing the iconic “I Amsterdam” signs from around the city.
The signs – found at the airport and in front of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam among other places - date back to 2004 when the city was struggling to attract tourists.
A final vote on the motion will be taken next month.
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