Will Amsterdam’s cruise ban really halt overtourism? The numbers say no

• Amsterdam is set to ban cruise ships by 2035 and limit their presence in the city in the meantime.
• However, the numbers show that cruise ships only contribute to a very small portion of the city’s overall tourism.
• Will a cruise ban halt tourist growth in Amsterdam?

Amsterdam is currently considering a series of proposals for its cruise industry, which includes moving the cruise terminal out of the city centre and a total ban on cruise ships by 2035. 

The move comes as the city, along with many other European destinations, battles overtourism. 

However, the numbers show that a cruise ban might not go far in the city’s efforts against overtourism.

In 2024, Amsterdam received 22.9 million tourists who stayed overnight, and about 15.1 million day trippers. The city’s cruise visitation pales in comparison to either of these figures.

Last year, about 300,000 tourists visited Amsterdam via cruise ship. This equates to only about 1 per cent of overnight tourists and about 2 per cent of overall daytrippers. 

Amsterdam’s yearly tourist growth, even at a slowed rate, increases by around three per cent. This means not only do cruise tourists make up a tiny portion of overall tourism to the city, but also that all cruise ships could be banned overnight, and the city would still see an increase in overall tourism, year-on-year. 

The city of Amsterdam has argued that cruise ships have other impacts, like pollution, which is another reason they are pushing for the ban.

Amsterdam’s deputy mayor Hester Van Buren said that the plan is part of creating a “liveable, clean and sustainable” city and that “by limiting sea cruises, requiring shore power and aiming for the cruise terminal (PTA) to move from its current location in 2035, the council is responsibly implementing the council’s proposal to stop sea cruises.”

Amsterdam is also aiming to halve the number of river cruise ships that sail through the city each year. The cut also represents a similarly small number of tourists, less than 1 per cent.

The city is taking other actions against large-scale tourism, like limiting construction of new hotels in the city centre, limiting short-term rentals, increasing a tax on overnight stays and banning coaches entering the city centre.