The Netherlands, and Amsterdam in particular, is heavily touristed but unfortunately it has resulted in disruptive and disrespectful behavior due to a prevailing perception that "anything goes."
"Amsterdam Is Not a Theme Park"
In 2023, Amsterdam's city council launched a "Stay Away" campaign which specifically targeted British stag parties and male tourists aged 18–35 because they have a legacy of displaying disruptive behavior in the red light district. This was the first time any European city government had explicitly told a specific demographic group not to visit. The campaign ran on social media in the UK and included warnings that disruptive behavior would result in instant fines. The decision reflected years of accumulated frustration.
The city has also capped the number of tourist accommodation nights to 20 million overnight stays (immediate action to be taken as the number approaches 18 million), removed cannabis sale licenses from the city center, and banned new tourist shops from street level retail space. Basically, a lot of these policies are mired in controversy because at the end of the day Amsterdam wants tourists, but not every kind of tourist, and not in unlimited numbers.
The Directness Factor
The Dutch are famously direct, not rude, but blunt in a way that can be misread as cold. If a Dutch person tells you something is "not bad," it means they like it (superlatives are ingenuine). If they tell you that you are standing in the cycle lane, they are telling you because they want you to move. The directness applies to tourist behavior judgement and a Dutch shopkeeper or local will tell you directly if you are being annoying. Take this as useful information, not a personal attack.
The Cycle Lane Issue
Every year, thousands of tourists are hit by bicycles in Amsterdam because they walk in bicycle lanes. The cycle lanes in Amsterdam are red-surfaced and placed between the sidewalk and the road and many visitors assume they are part of the sidewalk. If you are walking in a bicycle lane will get you hit and being hit by a Dutch cyclist going at commuting speed is going to hurt. If you hear a bell behind you, move immediately to the sidewalk, not into the bicycle lane. This is the single most important piece of advice for Amsterdam.
What Dutch People Actually Love About Tourists
Most Dutch people enjoy meeting curious, interested visitors, and many Nederlanders are enthusiastic explainers of their own culture. If you ask about the water management system, the history of the Golden Age, or why Dutch cheese is served in slabs rather than wedges, you'll likely get a thoughtful explanation. Also, go outside Amsterdam to cities like Utrecht, Groninge,, Maastricht, or Haarlem where the tourist density decreases, the prices are lower, the locals are more relaxed, and the Netherlands you experience becomes more genuine.
A Brief Etiquette Guide
- Never walk in the red bicycle lanes
- Don't photograph people in the red light district because it is explicitly illegal and deeply disrespectful to the workers
- The Dutch greet with one kiss on the cheek (not two or three like Belgians); handshakes for formal settings
- Punctuality is taken seriously and being late for a dinner invitation without warning is rude
- Splitting bills (going Dutch) is both culturally normal and the origin of the phrase