DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

11 October 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Election 2025
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Election 2025
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Economic benefits of Amsterdam tourism are over-estimated: researchers

May 24, 2017

The economic benefits of tourism in Amsterdam have been exaggerated and its financial impact under-estimated, according to research by investigative journalism platform Investico and magazine De Groene Amsterdammer.

Much of the profit earned from tourism goes to a few large firms, many of which are foreign, and city council figures don’t take the full cost of dealing with tourists into account, the researchers say.

For example, the city claims 17 million people visit Amsterdam every year and spend €9.7bn. However, half the visitors are Dutch and the total also includes people from Amstelveen going out for a meal or visiting friends, the researchers said.

Estimates about the number of jobs created by tourism also vary widely, from 154,000 according to Amsterdam Marketing to 61,000 according to the city’s statistics office O&S. Many of these jobs are part-time jobs in cafes, cultural attractions and transport – all of which are also used by Amsterdammers, the researchers point out.

The city council has introduced a ban on building new hotels in the city centre but 22 more are in the pipeline, and 100 will be opened across the city in total.

Subsidies

Taking the cost of marketing the city, policing tourists, subsidising museums and the impact on liveability into account, the researchers estimate tourism costs the city €71m a year, which is well above the €64m raised in tourism taxes.

The city’s economic affairs alderman Kasja Ollongren told broadcaster NOS the problems caused by tourism in the city centre are now being addressed.

Tourist taxes are being increased, the city is clamping down on illegal accommodation providers and efforts are being made to spread tourists throughout the city, she said.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Economy
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
How do Dutch political parties aim to boost spending on defence?
Cloudy, mild weekend with a cooler, sunnier week ahead
Landlord who rents to "working Dutch women only" faces fine
British airmen finally laid to rest in Friesland after 82 years
Car of missing Hoofddorp woman found as police fear kidnapping
NewsHomeEconomyElection 2025Art and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you with up-to-date news about this month's Dutch general election.

Our thanks to everyone who donates regularly to Dutch News. It costs money to produce our daily news service, our original features and daily newsletters, and we could not do it without you.

If you have not yet made a donation, or did so a while ago, you can do so via these links

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now