We don't care about Wietpass!

[YourGuru]

Sign here if you either don't believe or don't care about the latest Wietpass "Scare"


I'm sick of people believing
Bullshit articles about clubs becoming Members-only...

If you can handle yourself when it comes to sourcing cannabis while in Amsterdam even if this does happen please sign here to let everyone know that by now you're a temporary local instead of a tourist.. And you have enough confidence in your abilities and connections to get what you want while on holiday.

met vriendelijke groetjes..

~Ian

[DC]

wtf are you on about, where are you gonna smoke this weed when ya get it here?. This is the point others are upset about, not that they can't get it, but when they do, they wont have the freedom to smoke it without getting into trouble from the law. Who the fuk wants to pay a grand in airfairs to smoke randomly sourced weed in their apartment or hotel...you?. Let me tell ya this, when coffeeshops get a visit from the law, they stfu because a few warnings and there goes their license. When push comes to shove they'll dump the tourist business like a hot stone because 1500 local members will still be enough to make good money, especially when they hike their prices to cover the loss. Look into the current political situation in the country and tell me the lunatics aint running the asylum.

Also the smoking ban is still in effect and getting enforced, the only reason people are getting away with allowing customers to smoke baccy is because the government is trying to get their act together after the last election. I guarantee that when they do, there'll be a few more recruits in the enforcing department and when the fines start going out in force and the house of cards will fall.

You're not a tempory local, what bullshit is that.......you're a tourist.

[YourGuru]

(not in an aggressive tone) DC, I'll see you sometime during my upcoming trip (16-30 Juni) and we'll talk about this in person... I know this is a much more dynamic issue than can be articulated here. I'm sorry if I've upset you. I promise you that you'll realize you're not talking to some tourist, instead someone who's moving to The Netherlands and will be able to get by even without weed.
~Ian

[DC]

Mate you haven't upset me and I'm as cheery as I get. But some of you folk are stuck on the loss of business issue the city will get hit by should the weed pass go through. Yeah, places will go under that's for sure, but it's Amsterdam.... and while it's totally beyond me why it's one of the worlds top international cities, it still is. Tourism is a large part of the cities economy and should the weed tourist get cut, it'll have a tempory effect on that economy, but the tourist will still come. So when all those small and often crappy businesses go under they'll get replaced with more upmarket and professionally run establishments, which in turn will increase the image of the city on the world forum. This means all those folks who are loaded will be more inclined to visit and thus ultimately repair, or take the edge off any damage the weed pass had. The government will still get the spontaniously appearing miracle tax from the coffeeshops whether tourists are buying the weed or locals are. It only takes somewhere like China to relax their fukt up views on civil liberties and this place will be made. After 10 years of living here something I do know for sure is it's one thing to jump into the whirlpool that is Amsterdam, but it's totally another thing surviving it.

[YourGuru]

Point taken.. You plan on working the night of June 17??

[DC]

Nah, but just get one of the staff to give me a shout if ya come in I'm usually floatin around somewhere.

[YourGuru]

Sorted.

[redeyezman]

After 10 years of living here something I do know for sure is it's one thing to jump into the whirlpool that is Amsterdam, but it's totally another thing surviving it.

You can? Start spreading the news!!!

[thompaw]

Yeah, places will go under that's for sure, but it's Amsterdam.... and while it's totally beyond me why it's one of the worlds top international cities, it still is. Tourism is a large part of the cities economy and should the weed tourist get cut, it'll have a tempory effect on that economy, but the tourist will still come. So when all those small and often crappy businesses go under they'll get replaced with more upmarket and professionally run establishments,

One needs to look at the measure of "Top International Cities."

Hollywood is a top destination and looking around the place I have no idea why. Sure-sure there is history played out through the silver screen, but visiting Hollywood lends nothing to the experience. Walk of Fame? Whoop-dee-doo, names in bronze within a star on the sidewalk! Stars Homes? Yeah, gated driveways, so cool to look at. Mann's Chinese Theater? Well, that's sort of neat to see foot and hand prints. Very cool movie theaters also. But that's about it. People still come in droves. But I've yet to hear anyone wanting to go there twice unless they had family living there.

Imagine how many more people would come if you could buy some herb at a coffeeshop?

As for Amsterdam, seems like there is a whole lot of other activities being sold here that not only continues to draw tourists at the beginning, but also, brings them back repeatedly, sort of like, but not the same as, (dare I say it?) - Las Vegas.

Hollywood tried to go upscale, with the Hollywood and Highland development, which started out as a high-end retail complex to replace the 'small and absolutely crappy' t-shirt shops. Didn't really work out that well.

It's pretty clear to me, a novice in Amsterdam, that the proposed change in the law, to curb the tourists will result in a loss for the economy that won't be replaced by more upscale tourists. Of course, that's just my opinion.

The upscale tourist is already there. To suggest that wealthy people are staying away, I think is inaccurate. Wealthy people travel to wherever they want. I stayed at the Amstel of a couple of nights, not really that spectacular of a property, but they were there.

So getting back to the measure of 'Top International Cities,' how are they measuring this? Number of passengers? Hotel Rooms? A survey? Surely the party that wants to restrict marijuana sales have estimates of the amount of business loss expected. Is it so minimal that it really isn't the problem that they make it out to be? Do they have a plan to replace the loss of revenue? Do they even care since they will be making the money instead of the "criminals?"

It will be interesting to watch it play out, either way. I suspect that it's about ringing the bell to drive up tourism this summer. A good study would be to survey the timing of these announcements.

[Sue Narmy]

I totally agree with DC.

[thompaw]

I found a website here that details the international tourism in 2006:

http://www.euromonitor.com/top-150-city ... ay/article

AMS ranks #18

A difference should be noted though - Las Vegas had a total of 38,914,889 visitors, of which, 2,639,684 arrived on international flights. - http://www.lvcva.com/getfile/246/ES-YTD2006.pdf

The Euromonitor site lists Las Vegas with a total of 1,647,000 international visitors.

This is why I ask how are they measuring this idea that Amsterdam is a top international city. Stats will say whatever you want them to say.

I still believe this is more about putting money into the 'right' people's pockets.

[DC]

Just a couple of things I rate 'International' cities as having are 1. The ability to get good food after 11pm and 2. Decent places to go in the wee small hours of the morning. Goodluk finding that in Amsterdam outside of the weekend.

After 10 years of living here something I do know for sure is it's one thing to jump into the whirlpool that is Amsterdam, but it's totally another thing surviving it.

You can? Start spreading the news!!!

WTF is that, you trying to start a flame war or something!?!.

[Tranquilised]

Just a couple of things I rate 'International' cities as having are 1. The ability to get good food after 11pm and 2. Decent places to go in the wee small hours of the morning. Goodluk finding that in Amsterdam outside of the weekend.

1. Burger Bar

2. Nes (Your licensing hours seem long to a thirsty Brit!) Oh, or a kamer!

Thanks again for the best of everything mate, see you in July

[Marriageuana]

Wasn't New York originally New Amsterdam?

[Balou]

Wasn't New York originally New Amsterdam?

It was founded as Fort Amsterdam and then renamed New Amsterdam until 1665.

Peace,
Balou