“The impact will not be that big,” said Ko Coens, a professor of new urban tourism at InnHolland University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He also said that in the long run, hotel room rates could be capped, making them more expensive.
Koens said that while the ban alone would not significantly reduce the number of tourists visiting Amsterdam, when combined with other initiatives it could make Amsterdam a less attractive place to visit. Stated. But “so far, visitors don't seem to mind,” he said.
In total, Amsterdam has nearly 42,000 hotel rooms that can accommodate more than 92,000 people, according to Statistics Netherlands, a government agency that compiles data about the country. (In total, there are over 150,000 hotel rooms in the Netherlands.)
Amsterdam's efforts to curb tourism have focused primarily on the crowded city centre. But as long as Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport remains Europe's main hub, it won't be easy to keep visitors away from the city.
“There are no simple solutions,” Cohens said. “It's very complicated.”
Amsterdam also announced this week that it would begin reducing the number of river cruises allowed into its waters. In 2023, that number will be 2,125 people. The city hopes to halve that number to less than 1,150 by 2028. The city estimates the initiative could reduce the number of tourists visiting the town by 271,000. The city says the proposal aims to improve the quality of life for residents and reduce carbon and congestion.