Local politicians said the ships are not in line with the sustainability ambitions of the popular northern European city.
The government of Amsterdam prohibited the entry of cruise ships in the center of the city in a measure taken while the capital of the Netherlands tries to limit the number of visitors and curb pollution. It’s that politicians said the boats are not in line with the city’s sustainability ambitions.
The ban translates into the closure of the central cruise terminal on the IJ River, near Amsterdam Central Train Station. This is the latest measure to curb mass tourism in the city of canals. Cruise ships have become a symbol of the problem, with more than 100 moorings each year, according to BBC Mundo.
A council of local authorities has been trying to clean up the city, which includes banning the use of cannabis on the streets of the red light district. In March, the city also launched an online campaign urging young Brits who were considering holding their stag dos in Amsterdam to go elsewhere.
Amsterdam, victim of its success
Amsterdam.jpg
Photo: agoda
Amsterdam has become a victim of its own popularity. Every year 20 million tourists visit it.some drawn by its reputation as a party town. “Cruises in the center of the city do not fit in with Amsterdam’s plan to reduce the number of tourists,” said Ilana Rooderkerk of the liberal D66 party, which governs the city along with the Labor Party and environmentalists.
The city has also taken steps to limit cannabis use in the red light district. Rooderkerk recently compared cruise ship tourists to a kind of “plague of locusts” that suddenly descended on the city. Other Amsterdam officials have balked at that kind of language.
But the mayoress of the city, Femke Halsema, he complained last year that cruise ship tourists are left loose for a couple of hours, eat at international chains and don’t have time to visit a museum.
Cruise
The other key reason to withdraw cruise ships is to reduce levels of air pollution in Amsterdam. Politicians said the ships are not in line with the sustainability ambitions of the popular northern European city.
A 2021 study of a large cruise ship found that it produced the same levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in one day as 30,000 trucks.
Other mooring sites away from the city center have been under consideration for a while, but no decision has yet been made.
Besides, Amsterdam has announced plans to bolster nightlife culture for young people. The city has outlined its goal of finding night spots, such as tunnels and disused garages, to develop the talent of “creative young people who want to organize something at night.”
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
