Last April, Amsterdam's council banned red light tours from the medieval district, also called De Wallen in an effort to tackle its overtourism problem. Now it's going one step further with a plan to close the brothel windows of the district and move the "erotic center" away from the city center.
Sex workers have been advised they can move their businesses away from the rabbit warren of laneways and alleys of Singel and De Wallen, and into a new purpose-built center β the location of which is yet to be determined. Amsterdam's mayor Femke Halsema said she wants to combat the "rise in human trafficking by providing a safe environment in which sex workers can run their businesses".
She has also expressed concern about the parade of "gawping tourists" in the red light district. In other areas of the city, change is also coming. The city is continuing to reimagine Amsterdam and deal with the huge influx of tourism. Nineteen million people visited the city in , dwarfing the population of , Tourist tax on rooms were raised this year and more restrictions have been put on renting out Airbnbs. Planning a trip to Amsterdam?
This article was first published Mar 22, and updated Feb 2, How do you choose between charming Amsterdam and vibrant Berlin for a vacation or city break? Two Lonely Planet writers can help. Activities Amsterdam vs Berlin: which free-spirited European city should you visit first?
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