(TAN): Amsterdam could ban tourists from buying cannabis in the city’s coffee shops as the mayor is considering a crackdown on weed tourism to improve quality of life for locals, reports said.
The proposal follows a recent study conducted by the Dutch office for Research, Information and Statistics which revealed a third of foreign tourists would be less likely to visit Amsterdam again if they were barred from buy cannabis from the coffee shops, as per reports.
According to reports, the Dutch capital has trouble dealing with huge tourist crowds in its city centre, particularly the red-light district where coffee shops selling marijuana thrive. Mayor Femke Halsema, who commissioned the survey, reportedly said overtourism would go down if such a policy was implemented.
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In July 2019, she had reportedly suggested in a letter to councillors that these coffee shops could put “the quality of life in the city center under pressure”.
The poll looked at the most popular reasons for visiting Amsterdam, and what would happen to tourist numbers if the availability of one or more of these factors should reduce or disappear, reports said. The survey also sought to find how many people Amsterdam attracts based on the relaxed rules on cannabis, the legal prostitution area and affordable flights, as per reports.
While around 57% of the people interviewed said cannabis cafes were the chief reason they would come to Amsterdam, 34% admitted they would visit less often if foreigners were barred from coffee shops, reports said.
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The survey, which questioned 1,100 international visitors aged 18 to 35, also indicated 11% would not come at all if foreigners were altogether banned from the cafes, as per reports.
In a bid to cut overcrowding in popular tourist sites in Amsterdam, new measures will be implemented starting April 1 this year – tour groups would be limited to 15 people and they would be prevented from visiting red-light district and areas with sex workers’ windows, touring past 2200 hours, and walking around places that are sensitive to pressure, reports said.
Guides could reportedly face fines of EUR 190 (USD 205 approximately) if found breaching the rules.
