Europe's so-called 'city of sin' has not been the same since the Covid-19 pandemic struck and coffeeshops, popular with tourists, have been hit.
Amsterdam has long been a draw for millions of tourists from Europe and beyond but tourism has been hit by Covid-19 and travel restrictions.
While many locals are loving the fact that they can wander and cycle through their city without dodging hoards of tourists, Amsterdam businesses that rely on visitors — such as coffeeshops, where cannabis can be openly bought and sold — are feeling the pinch, and there are fears that local authorities could soon clamp down further on their foreign customers.
In the second quarter of 2021, turnover in accommodation and food services was 52.6% up on the same quarter of 2020 . However, it was over 35% smaller relative to the second quarter of 2019, according to, which added that "pre-Covid levels are still a long way off."EVERT ELZINGA | AFP | Getty Images However, there are still restrictions on visitors from some countries with higher Covid rates and PCR testing and quarantine rules in place for some, deterring many tourists further.Many locals have tired of the groups of younger tourists that come to Amsterdam for its soft drugs tourism and have enjoyed the lower numbers in the last 18 months.
Asked whether tourists were a nuisance when it comes to coffeeshops, Otto was unequivocal in his response: "Yes. Tourists who come specifically for the shops are generally not necessarily pleasant company."
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