Changes are coming.
As of January 1, 2020, guided tours through Amsterdam’s Red Light District will no longer be permitted.
The Municipality of Amsterdam’s official site has stated that these tours cause a lot of “bustle in the Red Light District and are not respectful towards sex workers”.
As of next year, guided tours may be given throughout the rest of the city, but only in those areas that lie outside of the Red Light District.
This new regulation is just one of many new laws that are being implemented in the city.
These include the prohibition of free tours and recruiting participants, imposing a tax on tourists who participate in a tour, and a maximum of 15-20 on these legal tours.
Anyone that’s working as a tour guide will also have to meet a certain quality requirement, too.
All these new measures will take effect on January 1, 2020.
With regards to the Red Light District, as of 1 April, 2019, it is forbidden for any guide to bring a tour through the area after 19.00 – the previous time limit was 23.00.
At present, an exemption system for guided tours in the Red Light District exists and a tour guide must have an exemption to give a tour through the district.
Despite this system being introduced, sex workers have noted a number of disturbances which have had a negative impact on their profession.
Sex workers have reported that tour groups frequently display abusive behaviour and take photographs without their permission. Every week, over 1,000 tour groups pass through the area.
After the new laws are introduced next year, anyone who offer tours illegally will be fined €190. This figure can rise as high as €2,500 for repeat offenders.
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