Amsterdam one of world's most unwelcoming tourist destinations: UK paper

Amsterdam is one of the eight most tourist unfriendly destinations in the world, according to a list compiled by British newspaper The Independent. The newspaper quotes Amsterdam Marketing CEO Frans van der Avert, saying he "made it abundantly clear the city is a bit over tourists".

The Independent quotes Van der Avert's recent talk at the World Tourism Forum in Lucerne, in which he said that "cities are dying from tourism" and mentioned Ryanair and Airbnb as culprits. "We don't spend even €1 in marketing Amsterdam any more. We don't want to have more people. We want to increase the quality of visitors - we want people who are interested in the city, not who want it as a backdrop for a party. We see lots of visitors with no respect for the character of the city. Low cost carriers create a problem. Ryanair - they are the loudest."

Also on the list is Santorini, Greece where the number of cruise ship visitors was capped. Barcelona, Spain which has a similar tourism view to Amsterdam. A number of onsen - natural hot springs - in Japan that refuse visitors who have tattoos. Bhutan, where high visa and other fees greatly limit the number of visitors. And the Koh Khai islands in Thailand, which are off limits to tourists due to environmental concerns, specifically about degrading reefs.