Amsterdam officials have described the limit on tourist numbers – set at 20 million overnight stays in 2020 – as a target rather than a legal threshold in court documents relating to a dispute with local residents, the Parool reported on Monday.

Last year, a group of residents began legal action against the city council, arguing it had failed to take sufficient steps to reduce tourist numbers to below the 20 million limit, which has been exceeded every year since the coronavirus pandemic.

However, in written evidence to the court, officials say the provisions outlined in documents intended to ensure a balanced approach to tourism are a policy directive for internal use only and cannot be enforced.

That means, officials argue, that residents cannot derive any rights from them, including the 20 million overnight stay limit.

The residents, united under the name Amsterdam heeft een keuze, or Amsterdam has a choice, are demanding that tourist stays are reduced to below 20 million by 2028 and remain below that level thereafter. They also want the council to publish the impact of the different measures it has introduced.

The case is being heard in the civil courts in Amsterdam and is currently focused on procedural issues. No date has yet been set for the main hearings.

Amsterdam introduced the limit in 2020 after more than 30,000 residents signed a petition calling for action and pledged to take steps to keep to the maximum.

City tourism chief Sofyan Mbarki – who is leading the PvdA campaign in the local elections – said at the time he understood that residents are unhappy but said that tackling excessive tourism will take time.

The city has already taken steps, such as reducing the options for holiday rentals, increasing tourist tax and launching a “stay away” campaign to discourage budget tourists out to take drugs and party.