Amsterdam could ban pub crawls and restrict cannabis as it tries to clean up its image

Amsterdam could ban pub crawls and restrict cannabis in the Red Light District at weekends as part of a crackdown on rowdy stag dos and nuisance tourism.

In policy proposals published on Wednesday, Sofyan Mbarki, the deputy mayor for the inner city, announced measures aimed at cleaning up Amsterdam’s image and taking back the city for its residents and respectful visitors.

The proposals include banning cannabis smoking in public areas in the Red Light District immediately and finding out whether a ban on sale can be imposed between 4pm on Thursdays and Sunday evenings. The city imposed a similar ban on alcohol sales in the area during the pandemic.

British tourists on blow-out weekends are amongst the biggest sources of nuisance, according to locals.

"If we love the city, we must take action now,” Mr Mbarki said in a press release. “Action is needed to prevent nuisance and overcrowding. If we want to work together effectively towards the future, we need a long-term vision and measures.

"Amsterdam is a world city, and bustle and liveliness come along with this, but to keep our city liveable, we need to choose limits instead of irresponsible growth."

Other measures include sharpening the rules on Airbnb-style rentals, limiting party boats from docking in the Red Light District and working with the tourism industry to limit nuisance from stag dos. The city wants to investigate if a ban on venues serving organised pub crawls is legally possible.

Mayor Femke Halsema has been trying to ban tourists from cannabis-selling coffeeshops entirely and crack down on money laundering, while the council is trying to move prostitution window brothels to a new erotic centre.

'Good temporary citizens do not pee through the mailbox'

Diederik Boomsma, a councillor for the CDA, believes a ban on cannabis outdoors in tourist hotspots will send an important signal.

“This is an important step towards discouraging drug use, getting rid of the status of Amsterdam as drug-capital, and reclaiming the city centre,” he said.

Some hotel owners are also positive about encouraging quality tourism. Marco Lemmers, the owner of Conscious Hotels, already declines stag parties.

“I believe in a sort of tourism that has good temporary citizens: people, maybe only for a day or weekend, who are just part of the society,” he said. “Good temporary citizens do not pee through the mailbox. Together, we should change the profile of Amsterdam.”