Amsterdam Working to Ban Bachelor Parties, Rowdy Tourists

Officials in Amsterdam are looking to combat rowdy tourists by proposing a ban on bachelor parties.According to NPR.org, local politician Frits Huffnagel is asking the government to issue legislation against bachelor parties in the Netherlands' capital, which travelers from around Europe are reportedly treating like a “naughty Disneyland.”MORE Destination & Tourism Locals say the raucous crowds are impacting their way of life, as less than one million people call Amsterdam home, while the city is expected to welcome over 20 million tourists by the end of the year.“Amsterdam can better focus on banning groups of drunk, puking bachelor parties, for example from England,” Huffnagel said. “That is what really causes trouble.”Government officials started working on controlling tourists earlier this year, with lawmakers restricting beer bikes, diverting cruise ships and banning Airbnb hosts from providing rentals in certain areas of Amsterdam.Tourism officials have also implemented a tax on travelers that will generate $105 million a year by 2022 for the local government, and the city has launched a campaign dubbed “Enjoy and Respect” meant to help curb the problematic behavior.In addition, Amsterdam is imposing fines for rowdy tourists, including $109 for public intoxication and $162 for urinating in a canal.“It’s a city where freedom is important and you have to accept a degree of nuisance, but it’s now out of hand,” Amsterdam in Progress’ Stephen Hodes said. “The crux of the problem is that there are too many tourists. The only thing to do is to take radical measures, otherwise, it’s a consumption ghetto, not a city where people live.”