World-famous tourist destinations are struggling to find ways to 'drive away' visitors.

Amsterdam City Council in the Netherlands has just approved a proposal to ban cruise ships from the city as part of the latest move to control tourism overcrowding.

Amsterdam's red-light district

A spokesperson for Amsterdam's Deputy Mayor Hester van Buren, who is responsible for the city's port, told CNN that the council approved a proposal to close the city's cruise ship terminal this Thursday.

The center-left D66 party, which holds seats in the council, asserted in a statement on Thursday that the proposal had been "approved by a majority." D66 party leader Ilana Rooderkerk stressed in the statement: "Polluting cruise ships are no longer compatible with Amsterdam's sustainable development ambitions."

"Tourist boats in the city center are not in line with Amsterdam's goal of reducing tourist numbers," Rooderkerk added.

Amsterdam is expected to welcome over 18 million overnight visitors this year. By 2025, this number could reach 23 million, in addition to 24 to 25 million day-trip visitors. According to the 2021 decree titled "Balancing Amsterdam Tourism," when the number of overnight visitors reaches 18 million, the council "has an obligation to intervene" to reduce the number of visitors.

Earlier this year, the city launched a campaign to improve its approach to tourism, notably including tactics specifically designed to discourage British tourists from attending bachelor/bachelorette parties.

The online campaign "Stay Away" aims to deter young British men planning to visit Amsterdam for partying, warning tourists aged 18 to 35 about the consequences of excessive drinking, drug use, or disruptive behavior.

Amsterdam also announced this year that it will ban the use of cannabis on the streets and take new steps to prevent alcohol consumption in red-light districts…

This follows an announcement from the city in 2019 that it would close red-light district tours, citing concerns about sex workers being seen as a tourist attraction.

In an effort to "limit travel and prevent inconvenience," Amsterdam also plans to restrict river cruises, convert hotels into offices, and impose earlier closing times for bars and nightclubs.

However, it is unlikely that the city center will become a no-go zone for tourists anytime soon, a spokesperson for the deputy mayor told CNN , while acknowledging that the proposal would "take some time" to implement.

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