Amsterdam, in the midst of an unprecedented tourism crisis caused by restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, announced on Thursday that it plans to ban people from renting houses to visitors in three historic areas of the city center.
The move, which is due to come into effect on July 1, is the Dutch capital’s latest attempt to rein in people renting out their homes on platforms like Airbnb amid complaints from residents that tourists are ruining their quality of life.
This goes hand-in-hand with a system that will come into effect on July 1 in Amsterdam, which means anyone renting their home in the city will need to have a permit. The town hall will not issue permits for the three neighborhoods targeted by the ban.
In a statement emailed to The Associated Press, Airbnb said 95% of its listings in Amsterdam were outside the areas covered by the ban, and added that the company had already introduced tools to combat against noise and nuisance.
“We remain eager to work with Amsterdam to support long-term solutions on home sharing – rather than short-term solutions that are confusing and damaging to residents and small businesses during these difficult times,” Airbnb said.
Amsterdam has in recent years tightened the rules for people renting out their homes, including limiting landlords to a maximum of 30 nights per year and a maximum of four guests per night.
The district of picturesque canals and cobbled lanes of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been overwhelmed with tourists in recent years, leading to an increasing number of complaints from local residents.
However, coronavirus restrictions have seen an unusual calm descend on the city in recent weeks. The streets often choked with tourists are now largely deserted.
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