Amsterdam’s coffee shops receive few tourists this summer

Amsterdam has long been the attraction of millions of tourists from Europe and other countries, with many attracted to the city by its canals, architecture and museums and, of course, by its abundant cannabis-laden cafes and his brazen sex industry.

But the so-called “city of sin” in Europe has not been the same since the Covid-19 pandemic, with a much lower tourism figure than in previous years, when the capital of the Netherlands could wait millions of visitors a year.

While many locals love to be able to stroll and bike around their city without dodging tourists, Amsterdam-dependent businesses, such as cafes, where you can buy and sell openly. cannabis, feel the skin, and there are fears that local authorities will soon be able to curb their foreign customers even further.

“It’s been a quiet year, definitely,” Ben, who works at Barney’s Coffeeshop, told CNBC on Wednesday. “Viously [it’s better] compared to last summer with the crown[virus], but this year began to be busy, but still nothing compared to previous years. Only really French, French and German tourists have come, no longer many Englishmen, not many Italians. “

“Now I’m thinking the school holidays are over, I don’t think he’s recovering too much,” he added.

The Dutch tourism industry is still recovering and has a long way to go before observing pre-lived activity levels.

In the second quarter of 2021, turnover in accommodation and food services increased by 52.6% compared to the same quarter of 2020 (period covering the first closure). However, it was more than 35% smaller compared to the second quarter of 2019, according to August Netherlands Statistics data, which added that “pre-Covid levels are still a long way off”.

Mike, a customer and retailer at Green House, which has several coffee shops in Amsterdam, said that since the country reopened and restrictions were lifted, the business had grown, but it was still out of its apogee.

“The downtown cafes are back in business … but it’s even quieter compared to normal years, but it’s been recovering in the last month,” he told CNBC on Wednesday, noting that the cafes are they had adapted to the new rules, such as social distancing between tables and use of outdoor terraces.

Mike noted that coffees had “suffered a lot” during the Covid-19 closures over the past 18 months. Dutch authorities initially announced that coffee shops would have to close shortly when the country’s first closure began last spring.

However, the government quickly reversed course after lines were formed outside the cafes. Customers wanted to store supplies before the closures and authorities feared that the sale of cannabis could quickly take to the streets and allow the illegal and unregulated drug trade to thrive.

In the Netherlands, selling drugs is illegal, but the Dutch government tolerates the sale of soft drugs in coffee shops that are strictly regulated.

However, although they were allowed to remain open, opening hours were reduced and travel bans prevented a large portion of their customers, tourists, from visiting until this summer, when the The Netherlands opened trips to some nations.

However, there are still restrictions on visitors from some countries with higher Covid rates (like many, the Netherlands designated other countries with a red, amber and green traffic light system according to case rates) and PCR testing and quarantine standards set for some, further deterring many tourists.

Many locals have grown tired of the younger tourist groups who come to Amsterdam to tour with mild drugs and have enjoyed the lowest figure in the last 18 months.

Lieke, who lives in Amsterdam with a young daughter, told CNBC that he had enjoyed the quieter city, but did not think cafes should be no-go areas for tourists, noting that “they will buy it anyway. “, which was illegal and carried other risks, and banning tourists would be discriminatory.

Otto, an economics professor who also lives in Amsterdam, agreed that, as a resident, it was “very nice to get our own city center back” instead of having to fight “screaming and dirty” tourists. (stoned and drunk).

“It was also much more pleasant to cycle around the city, without tourist cyclists with little cycling experience … In short, things were much more pleasant,” he said.

Asked if tourists were a nuisance when it comes to cafes, Otto was unequivocal in his response: “Yes. Tourists who come specifically to the shops are not necessarily a nice company.”

In particular, he said, Amsterdam had a problem with young tourists who, he said, “feel too safe because they can smoke some weed legally, even though due to their young age it is difficult for them to get the right amount.” .

The capital of the Netherlands attracts a wide range of tourists, from the inevitable groups of young people eager to experience the city’s cafes to the bachelor parties that make the seemingly obligatory visit to De Wallen, Amsterdam’s main red light district.

But the city also attracts cultural vultures who wish to visit the city’s museums and stroll through its picturesque canals, while absorbing the city’s unique character. Local officials seem interested in cleaning up the city’s image as a party city and instead want to attract more of the latter group of tourists to the city.

The mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, has gone further and proposed restricting key attractions for certain tourists (the red light district and cafes).

Halsema has proposed that the city’s red light district be moved to an “erotic center” built specifically outside the city and that foreign tourists be banned from the city’s cafes, which are understandably not impressed with these proposals.

“They will be shot in the foot [if they do that]”It’s not a good idea at all,” said Ben of Barney’s Coffeeshop. They will lose half of the atmosphere that Amsterdam had for the last 20 years. Not only will cafes suffer, but hotels, fast food restaurants and everything. “

Similarly, Mike, of the Green House coffee group, said these proposals to ban foreign tourists were “ridiculous” and “would lead to a huge reduction in tourism.”

“I think the emphasis on tourists coming here and visiting cafes is wrong because almost everyone who comes to Amsterdam at some point is interested in visiting a cafe, even just for a coffee. They just want to experience what it’s like. and if you go to one of our coffee shops, it’s not just young English people who are drunk, in fact, most people who smoke don’t even drink. “

“Culture has changed in the last ten years and we see every age in our cafes, from people in their 70s to twenties and people in business suits coming in after work to relax for half an hour,” he said.