European cities promote extraordinary measures to curb excess tourism in their old and emblematic neighborhoods. The last, very significant case, is that of Amsterdam, whose city council announced this Thursday a plan aimed at combating the negative effects of mass tourism, which provides for the prohibition of marijuana use in public spaces from mid-May, as well as the limitation of hours to restaurants and places of prostitution.
The ban on smoking in the street seeks to address the continuing and increasing criticism from residents. "If the inconvenience does not decrease sufficiently, we will investigate whether we can ban smoking on the terraces of the 'coffee shop'," the capital authorities warned in a statement.
Likewise, the City Council has informed that the time limitation to restaurants and prostitution venues will be applied during the weekends, at the same time that a schedule is set for the prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages, as well as consumption on public roads. , for which "measures against street vendors" will be taken.
"These proposed measures in the Red Light District should further counteract the enormous inconvenience, especially at night," said the Amsterdam City Council, which added that the new regulations for the renowned capital district also include limiting traffic in a single sense, and the possibility of closing the streets of the Red Light District "during periods of maximum activity".
"The residents of the old town suffer a lot from mass tourism and alcohol and drug abuse on the streets. Tourists also attract street vendors which in turn cause crime and insecurity," has argued the Amsterdam City Council, which argues also that "residents cannot sleep well and the neighborhood becomes unsafe and uninhabitable."
