Amsterdam is taking the next step to reduce the nuisance caused by tourism. With an increase in the tourist tax, we may be able to use part of the proceeds to further supplement the real estate fund. With this fund, we buy back properties in the city center. In addition, we are introducing a licensing requirement for tourist retail in the city center. This allows us to check in advance whether a business is reliable.
With new and existing measures, Amsterdam is working towards a city where living and tourism are in balance, now and in the future. The measures are part of the regulation ‘tourism in balance’.
Additional steps
Alderman Sofyan Mbarki (City Center Approach and Economic Affairs): “Amsterdam already does a lot to limit tourist overnight stays, but we are still above 20 million for now. That is why we are now taking additional steps. With the new income for the real estate fund, we can buy back properties for the city and make the city more livable for Amsterdammers. If we can use this money to tackle the Warmoesstraat and Oudezijds Voorburgwal as we did with the Zeedijk, it really changes the city center into a less commercial and more pleasant place for Amsterdammers.”
Measures
The real estate fund and the licensing requirement are in addition to existing measures. For example, we convert dozens of spaces above shops into homes each year, there is a stop on tourist shops and a hotel and bed stop. We restrict holiday rentals and there is a decision to halve the number of sea and river cruises docking here. The results of feasibility studies on relocating the Passengers Terminal Amsterdam and the development of the Erotic Center will be available soon.
Tourist tax
Due to the national increase in the VAT rate on hotel overnight stays, the total tax on hotel overnight stays will rise to 33.5% from 1 January 2026. If this tax increase does not yet reduce the number of tourist overnight stays below 20 million, we will consider a further increase in the tourist tax. We are also investigating whether day visitors can contribute more through the so-called entertainment levy, a form of tax that currently only applies to certain forms of entertainment such as events, to be extended to other sectors such as museums and commercial attractions.
