According to Het Parool on May 26, a group of city center residents (Amsterdam Centrum) in Amsterdam,Netherlands,are suing the council for failing to adhere to its own restrictions on the number of visitors. In addition to organizing a 2021 petition that garnered 30,000 signatures, the group claims that the number of overnight stays has surpassed the 20 million barrier annually since, leaving them with little choice but to file a lawsuit.
Nearly all members of the city council agreed in 2021 that if overnight stays surpassed 20 million, action would be necessary. By 2023, there were 22.1 million. Forecasts indicate that 25 million tourists will visit the city in the upcoming years, up from a projected 23 million last year.
According to the news website,the activists admit that the municipality has implemented a number of policies, such as a campaign to avoid the area, a prohibition on smoking cannabis outside in the red light district, shortened hours for cafés and bars, restrictions on river excursions, and an increase in the tourist tax.
