Tourist ban (again)

[brufy]

https://nltimes.nl/2022/04/12/amsterdam ... d-tourists

[Sanchez_]

"Over three million foreign tourists visit coffeeshops in Amsterdam every year. They have made the capital's cannabis market uncontrollably large and a portal to serious crime", Halsema said.

Nice, let's totally shift blame onto the tourist for our own mess of allowing/creating the backdoor policy (whilst enjoying all the other monetary benefits from it)

Heard it a million times before and also seeing how quiet things still are in AMS in terms of footfall I'd be surprised this goes ahead or doesn't cause an inevitable mess of street trade and knock-on effect to an already suffering hospitality sector creating less tourism.

Let's hope it never happens

[la2019]

To me the most distressing part is that even though there's no appetite for this in the city council, Halsema can impose it anyway upon deeming it "a necessity". Hopefully the shops can present a united front, along with the parties that oppose it, to make the move too politically risky for her to make on her own. But I say that with absolutely zero understanding of Dutch civic politics so who knows...

After having seen so many shops invest money in renovations during the pandemic slow-down, I feel like there's a lot more to lose now. Greenhouse alone is big business, having done almost all of their shops, including taking over 420 in the spui, and partnering with Cookies. And the Popeye's and Paradox renovations look like they go WAY beyond new furniture and a fresh coat of paint...So with all that money being spent I've been kind of lulled into feeling that the shop owners know that this ban will never get passed. Fingers crossed there's something to that!

[RoMoney]

2012 all over again I will make a point of going there to buy on the street!

When you think that only a few years ago Tilburg finally got rid of the Wietpass and now they want Wietpass 2.0 in Amsteram its mad.

[Papi]

Socialists socialisting their socialism:)

[la2019]

So add Green Place picking up a location on Haarlemerstraat by taking over Amsterdamed as another coffeeshop that doesn't seem to be banking on a ban coming into effect anytime soon...I mean, right? I always go with the saying if you really want to know what's going on, follow the money--and so I'm taking all these rehabs and Coffeeshop purchases as a good sign. If they thought tourists were going to be banned anytime in the next few years, surely they wouldn't be looking to expand at this point--especially in the touristy areas like Haarlemerstraat? I can't see local business only sustaining all the shops there...
Again, I have no idea if it means anything--just hoping it does!

[RidleyColluphid]

I have a very simple yes or no question. I will be in Amsterdam next month. Will I still be able to consume to my hearts content?

[CopenhagenCouple]

Maybe....

[brufy]

Maybe....

[RidleyColluphid]

Am I in danger of getting any information here?

[CopenhagenCouple]

Am I in danger of getting any information here?

Only just a little, so you shouldn't be to worried about it

Jokes aside, the general attitude of most I know is "we need to see it to believe it", because it has been tried before with massive streat dealing being the immediate consequence and because there seems to be alot of investments being made into Coffeeshops right now (signaling that at least the owners throwing money into refurbishment do not think this money will be lost in a few months). That being said, there are no guarantees and the mayor may pull "executive power" and implement a ban.

Given the timing of your visit, I find it extremely unlikely that you will not be able to buy there, so wouldn't be all that worried about it....

[RidleyColluphid]

I have been told that this won't effect other cities, which are a cheap and quick train ride away.

[DaveS]

I have been told that this won't effect other cities, which are a cheap and quick train ride away.

Indeed! When I remember (!), a trip to Haarlem is usually a great change of scenery - plus the weed can be better quality and a bit cheaper too if memory serves... A lot less hectic than Amsterdam and it's a very pretty place to visit anyway! If you're there for more than a couple of days, I would heartily recommend it.
It's only about 20 minutes on the train...

Let us know how you get on!

[Marok21]

So add Green Place picking up a location on Haarlemerstraat by taking over Amsterdamed as another coffeeshop that doesn't seem to be banking on a ban coming into effect anytime soon...I mean, right? I always go with the saying if you really want to know what's going on, follow the money--and so I'm taking all these rehabs and Coffeeshop purchases as a good sign. If they thought tourists were going to be banned anytime in the next few years, surely they wouldn't be looking to expand at this point--especially in the touristy areas like Haarlemerstraat? I can't see local business only sustaining all the shops there...
Again, I have no idea if it means anything--just hoping it does!

True but on the other hand it looks to me that some of the big players in the coffeeshop industry like for example Boerejongens (Amsterdam Genetics) bought many licenses in cities around Amsterdam like Amersfoort, Haarlem, Hoorn...
maybe that was just random but possibly they bought that licenses because they fear a tourist ban in Amsterdam. So they would be still able to sell to tourists which is a big business in my opinion.

In the past I was many times in Maastricht and I remember very well that nearly everybody said they will never implement a tourist ban there because the tourists bring to much money in the city and the number of street dealers would explode... but in the end they really implemented a tourist ban there
Well in Amsterdam a tourist ban would be a complete different dimension and would bring hardly solvable problems
like most know. But who knows what that stupid politicians decide in the end...by the way that this comes from a major which is in the green-left party makes it even more stupid. I would have expected that from conservative politicians...

Indeed! When I remember (!), a trip to Haarlem is usually a great change of scenery - plus the weed can be better quality and a bit cheaper too if memory serves... A lot less hectic than Amsterdam and it's a very pretty place to visit anyway! If you're there for more than a couple of days, I would heartily recommend it.
It's only about 20 minutes on the train...
Let us know how you get on!

True but if they implement a tourist ban in Amsterdam the coffeeshops in the cities around Amsterdam would have a lot more costumers from abroad then before and maybe that would lead to new tourist bans in that cities... this effect has also been seen in some small cities near Maastricht.

Well personally I also think they will not implement that in Amsterdam because it's just not feasible there... politicians should act realistically and not create more problems. The biggest real problem is the backdoor policy and that is the achilles heel of the coffeeshop industry well with that annouced "wiet experiment" they try to change it but it seems like that tourists will not be allowed to buy anymore... the result would be that the big black market can still make profit with the tourists... they have to find a solution that will also involve the tourists. But that's just wishful thinking

[macky]

It,s simple really ..legalizing kills the black market ,trust me
If the Dutch would get back to leading and legalize , the rest of EU will follow ..maybe not all there,s a few crazy county’s in the mix
The issue is keeping canna tourist home and giving the citizens a little room to breath ....breathing good