Amsterdam snaps pics of Red Light District visitors to manage tourist crowds

The city of Amsterdam is launching an experiment on Monday in which surveillance cameras and WiFi sensors will be used to snap pictures in the Red Light District to monitor crowds. In this way the municipality wants to find out whether it is necessary to better manage the flow of people through the area, to prevent unmanageable crowds, AD reports.

The experiment starts Monday and lasts for four weeks. It will be done in Stoofsteeg, Oudekennissteeg and part of the Oudezijds Voorburgwal.

The municipality promises to protect the identities of Red Light District visitors. The images will not be stored and the data on the cameras and sensors can't be accessed by outsiders.

Amsterdam did a similar experiment, though on a smaller scale, during the Easter weekend. Digital information boards were used to guide traffic on certain routes. The experiment concluded that this type of measure could be effective.