Overturisme is becoming a concept more and more popular holiday destinations are trying to combat. In the row is also the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. Here, as the Extra Magazine earlier has told , try to curb the problem by banning the guided tours in the popular area of the Red Light District. But now meetings the prohibition of criticism from them, which among other things had to be protected by the prohibition, namely the area’s sex workers.
This writes the news agency AP.
Sexarbejdernes organization Proud, asking questions to whether a ban of the guided tours would reduce the number of tourists and argues that guided tours of the area, in fact, is to educate and encourage visitors to behave more respectfully to women.
– It can also be, to now where there are no guided tours, so vader people into the area on your own, and I glance at the women behind the windows and take pictures, because there is someone there telling them how they should behave and what the rules of the game are in this area, says a sexarbejder, which goes under the name ‘Velvet’.
the Red Light District is a tourist magnet, especially after dark, with large herds of tourists, as glaner, when they go past the area’s famous glass panels, where the sex workers offer services under the characteristic red lighting.
the Ban in the area will only be fully introduced 1. January 2020, but already now there are changes taking place.
Until now, the guided tours have been allowed up until noon. 23: 00, but from 1. april is no longer allowed after noon. 19.00.
– It is outdated to treat sex workers as a tourist attraction, says Udo Kock, underborgmester in Amsterdam, according to the New York Times.
the Idea behind the ban is, according to the medium to improve the sexarbejdernes working conditions and prevent potential customers are frightened away by the many tourists who overbeglor both the workers and the potential customers.
But Proud think not ” that the ban will give fewer tourists in the area. The AP says that today guides about 1,000 tourists through the area each week.
Sexarbejderne also puts forward the question whether there in fact are more and more tourists in the area, or whether it’s about the fact that several of sexarbejdernes windows have been closed over the years in an attempt to create greater diversity in the narrow streets.
Underborgmesteren acknowledges, according to the AP, that not everyone is happy about the ban, but stresses that many others are happy that the city respond to the challenges of the guided tours.
At one of the area’s museums by the name of the Red Light Secrets Museum of Prostitution is the manager, Natascha Flipsen, agree with Proud that the guided tours help tourists to understand both the history of the several centuries old areas, and that they also learn how to show respect for women.
She stresses, however, that tourism is positive for the business.
For tourists ‘it is an experience you only get once in life, why tourists, of course, also visit sexarbejdet’, is it from her according to the AP.