AMSTERDAM WANTS BRITISH/UK TOURISTS TO STAY AWAY

A digital campaign has been rolled out and its aim is to get British tourists to stay away from Amsterdam.

The city, one of the world’s most visited cities with around 20 million visitors per year, is often the destination of choice for Brits who visit the city for its sex and drugs.

The online ads will appear when people in Britain search for terms like stag party, cheap hotel or pub crawl Amsterdam.

The BBC reports that the videos show young men staggering in the street, handcuffed by police, finger-printed and having their mugshots taken.

There are several UK-based travel agencies that offer stag weekends in Amsterdam. These trips typically include canal boat cruises with an unlimited supply of alcohol, “steak and strip” nights and red light district pub crawls.

With its red light district, close proximity to the UK and coffee shops that are allowed to sell cannabis, Amsterdam is a favourite for many British men who wish to escape everyday life. The locals have had enough and hope the new campaign will discourage rowdy tourists to stay away.

The local city council hopes that more stringent operating rules regulating the sex trade in the Red Light District will help.

From 1 April, brothels and bars will have to close earlier and come May, it will be illegal to smoke cannabis on the streets in and around the Red Light District.

Image credit: The NY Times