The Dutch capital is stepping up measures to fight crime and nuisance in its city center, which is particularly popular with young tourists for bachelor parties and bar hopping.
The brothels of the Red Light District, located in the heart of the city, are also one of the great tourist attractions of Amsterdam.
“This online campaign of discouragement is aimed at unwelcome tourists who want to visit Amsterdam to ‘go wild’, with all the ensuing consequences,” the municipality said in a statement.
Young men in the sights
The campaign will first target the United Kingdom and will target men aged 18 to 35, a category of tourists strongly represented in the streets of Amsterdam, she said.
It will then address visitors from the Netherlands and other EU countries, likely to cause nuisance.
Those who type terms such as “Amsterdam bachelor party”, “Amsterdam cheap hotel” and “Amsterdam bar crawls” into a search engine will receive warning messages.
“These ads will show the risks and consequences of antisocial behavior and excessive drug and alcohol use, such as a fine, police arrest, criminal record, hospitalization and health damage” , explained the municipality.
Calm tourists always welcome
“Visitors will remain welcome, but not if they misbehave and cause a nuisance,” said Sofyan Mbarki, deputy mayor. “In this case, we, as a city, will say: ‘we would rather not, stay away'”, continued Sofyan Mbarki, quoted in the press release.
Amsterdam recently announced a ban on smoking cannabis on the streets of the Red Light District, a move coupled with tighter restrictions on alcohol and an earlier weekend closure of cafes, bars, restaurants and brothels.
ats/ami