Amsterdam's government aims to relocate Red-Light District: Reasons
The Red-Light District in Amsterdam during the day (Photo: unsplash.com)
The city authorities of Amsterdam plan to relocate the famous Red-Light District in an attempt to reduce the flow of tourists on the city streets. The new complex aims to be built outside the city center.
The new location will be easily accessible both by public transport and by car, according to schengenvisainfo.com
The mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, has proposed relocating the famous Red-Light District by creating a multi-story complex named the Erotic Centre outside the city center. The plan includes relocating 100 entertainment venues from the Red-Light District to this new location. The complex would have windows visible only from the inside, unlike the current open view from the outside.
"In the Amsterdam Accord 2022-2026, the coalition has agreed to reduce the number of windows in the Red Light District by relocating a portion to an erotic center, offering sex workers more control over their work. The initial step is to select a potential location for the Erotic Center (EC)," the mayor said.
The Wallen district, composed of hundreds of public buildings, currently attracts many tourists seeking similar entertainment, making it challenging to maintain public order in the area.
The proposed new center is suggested to be located on Europaboulevard, just 500 meters from the European Medicines Agency. The choice of location was based on assessments that the Europaboulevard lies outside the A10 ring road and is easily accessible by both public transport and car.
In recent years, Amsterdam has been attempting to deter certain types of tourists, especially those causing disturbances or visiting the city solely to smoke marijuana or explore the Red-Light District.
Amsterdam is one of the most famous European capitals. According to Statista, in 2022, the city's hotels hosted 5 million foreign tourists and 1.6 million domestic tourists. The largest numbers came from Germany, the UK, and the United States.
