Amsterdam City Council is urging young male tourists from the UK to “stay away” from the Dutch capital to cope with unpleasant behavior.
According to BBC News, a new advertising campaign has been launched aimed at dissuading people who plan to spend a “disorderly night” in a European sex and drugs hotspot.
The initiative is aimed at British men aged 18 to 35 years. In an online advertisement, a young male tourist staggers down the street before being arrested by the police. Viewers are warned that such “drunken and hooligan behavior” can lead to a fine of 140 euros (123 pounds sterling) and a criminal record.
It is reported that the “stay away” advertisement will be launched when people in Britain search the Internet for terms such as “bachelor party”, “cheap hotel Amsterdam” or “a walk through the pubs of Amsterdam”.
In addition, the local council installed billboards with photos of residents and the inscription “We live here” to solve the problem of excessive tourism in the city.
The accompanying “Like in Amsterdam” campaign will include posters, screens in hotel lobbies and presenters who will approach visitors to remind them of their manners.
There are also plans to move the characteristic neon windows of the Red Light District to a new “erotic zone”, which will be located away from the residential area of Amsterdam.
From this weekend, brothels and bars will close earlier. The ban on smoking marijuana on the streets in the red Light district and its surroundings comes into force in May, which was announced last month.
As the BBC notes, there is still a debate about whether tourists should be banned from visiting the cannabis cafe of the Dutch capital.
Currently, Britons can buy a return flight to Amsterdam for just 50 pounds.
The city with a population of 883,000 people annually receives about 20 million tourists, one million of whom are from the UK.
Sofyan Mbarki, deputy mayor for Economic Affairs and Inner City, told the Guardian: “Visitors are still welcome, but not if they behave badly and cause inconvenience. As a city, we say: it would be better if this didn’t happen, so stay away.”
