Oh, you’re going to Amsterdam? To smoke weed?
You have probably heard this sentence before if you have planned a city trip to Amsterdam. But did you know that smoking weed in public is illegal in the city known for smoking weed?
Amsterdam is trying to combat party tourism with a new campaign. They tried it a year ago by telling young British men not to come to Amsterdam if they just wanted to party. Whether this worked remains to be seen.
The new campaign is aimed at all tourists and comes in the form of a quiz. Playful. With beautiful illustrations. You will be asked, among other things, whether you plan to buy cocaine in Amsterdam.
So it is high time to find out whether Amsterdam wants you as a tourist or whether you should rebook your flight.
The following things are prohibited in Amsterdam and could cost you dearly:
The quiz is intended to be shown to people who google things like “Amsterdam coffee shop”, “Amsterdam Red Light District” or “Amsterdam bachelor party”.
The costs that Tourism Amsterdam reimburses for this quiz? Almost 160,000 francs. This is partly financed by the Dutch Ministry of Justice, reports ‘The Guardian’.
Feedback from our own population about the campaign has been mixed. Rogier Havelaar, leader of the local Christian Democratic Party, said the city council was sending mixed messages. “At the same time, we are drawing attention to ourselves in the international press with plans for Europe’s largest brothel and the legalization of cocaine,” he said at a council meeting, according to the Guardian. “How does this fit into the marketing campaign?”
And a resident of the Red Light District also expressed his skepticism: “In Amsterdam it’s all about the forbidden fruit. So why not offer an alternative instead of just saying something is forbidden?”
(cmu)
More about Amsterdam:
Source: Watson
I am Ross William, a passionate and experienced news writer with more than four years of experience in the writing industry. I have been working as an author for 24 Instant News Reporters covering the Trending section. With a keen eye for detail, I am able to find stories that capture people’s interest and help them stay informed.
