Amsterdam bans new hotels in fight against mass tourism

“We want to make the city and keep it liveable for residents and visitors. This means: no overtourism, no new hotels and no more than 20 million hotel nights by tourists per year,” it said in a statement.

A new hotel in Amsterdam can only be built if another hotel closes, if the number of sleeping places does not increase and if the new hotel becomes better, for example more sustainable.

However, the rule does not apply to new hotels that had already obtained a permit.

The city has actively tried to limit the number of tourists, which number in the millions per year, mainly by TueSencouraging sex and drug related tourism to the red light district.