According to a recent study conducted by Opinium Amsterdam, the plan to relocate the red light district to an erotic center may discourage some British tourists from visiting Amsterdam.
However, the same plan could attract others. The surveyors interviewed 2,000 British adults and 1,241 Dutch adults last week, and found that 11% of the Brits would be less likely to visit, and one in five thought the relocation was a bad idea. However, 15% of the people surveyed said they would be more likely to visit the Dutch capital.
On the other hand, more than a third (35%) of the Amsterdam locals questioned supported the erotic center plan, and 27% were opposed. The news that some tourists will be deterred is likely to be welcomed by tourist experts who are starting a campaign this month to tell nuisance visitors to ‘Stay Away.’ City economics chief Sofyan Mbarki announced a series of measures last year to promote respectful tourists and local residents over troublemakers, including a ban on cannabis smoking in public and reduced opening times for bars, clubs, and brothels.
The council recently announced three potential locations to relocate 100 brothel windows from the red light district to a new erotic center, to be built by private money on city land. The plans caused concern at the European Medicines Agency, which relocated to Amsterdam after Brexit, winning over Italy. Mayor Femke Halsema told Dutch News last year that she was determined to reduce tourist misbehavior.
‘They come to Amsterdam, they drink too much, they get stoned, do not reserve a hotel but stay out all night, they humiliate the sex workers, and they make a lot of noise,’ she said. ‘So for the people living in the inner city, it’s not livable anymore.’ Despite the concerns of sex workers, the mayor believes the center could increase worker rights rather than being ‘a place where only petty criminals, the most vulnerable women gather.’
However, Emily Dickinson, Head of Opinium Amsterdam, said its research suggested the plan may not have the desired effects. ‘The plan to move the red light district out of Amsterdam’s city center hinges on the belief that it will help reduce the impact of tourism on Amsterdam locals,’ she said in a statement. ‘However, looking at figures for tourists who would be more likely to go to Amsterdam if the red light district moved, a slightly higher proportion (15%) say they would – raising the question over whether the move will change anything for Amsterdam residents at all.’
It is worth noting that the red light district has been a significant tourist attraction in Amsterdam for years, but it has also been a source of nuisance and controversy. Some locals have been calling for its relocation or closure for years, citing concerns about the negative impact it has on the city's reputation and the well-being of sex workers.
While some British tourists may be deterred from visiting Amsterdam due to the proposed relocation, it remains to be seen whether the move will have a significant impact on the number of visitors to the city. It is clear, however, that the Amsterdam government is taking steps to address the concerns of its citizens and promote responsible tourism. Photo by Sergey Ashmarin, Wikimedia commons.