Over 22 million overnight stays in Amsterdam last year, more expected in 2024
More people visited Amsterdam last year than in 2022. Around 15.1 million tourists came to the capital in 2023, compared to 13.4 million the year before. Around 60 percent of the visitors came from the Netherlands, the rest from abroad.
Another 9.4 million people slept a total of 22.1 million nights in 2023, mainly in hotels and hostels, 20.4 million times.
Especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a peak in mass tourism in Amsterdam, explains councilor Sofyan Mbarki (Economy and City Center): “After the Covid-19 pandemic, everyone has started traveling en masse again, and tourists know how to find our city again. All international trends indicate that this will only increase. That is precisely why the measures we are taking to limit tourism and its impact are as urgent as ever.”
The city assumes that the number of tourists will continue to rise. It is therefore taking measures to limit the growth of tourism and nuisance. “The influx of visitors is putting pressure on the facilities, and the city center, in particular, is often too crowded,” the municipality said.
For 2024, up to 25.4 million overnight stays are expected, according to O&S for Amsterdam. According to a press release, the Netherlands Tourism Board and the City of Amsterdam also strongly believe that this growth will continue in the following years and amount to 26.6 million overnight stays in 2026.
One measure is that no new hotels may be built. In addition, a smoking ban has been introduced for the red light district, and the tourist tax has been raised. The city also plans to increase store diversity, which ensures that the range of stores is more diverse and more geared towards residents than tourists. The munacipality of Amsterdam also wants to reduce the number of cruise ships by half.
Reporting by ANP and NL Times