Amsterdam breaks tourism record again
Amsterdam recorded 23.7 million tourist overnight stays in 2025, again passing the city’s own limit of 20 million.
Amsterdam has broken its tourism record again. The city recorded 23.7 million tourist overnight stays in 2025. That is about 800,000 more than in 2024.
The number is far above the city’s own limit of 20 million overnight stays a year. That limit was meant to help control mass tourism and protect daily life in the capital.
Amsterdam’s research office says the growth is partly caused by strong global travel demand. Amsterdam remains one of the most popular city break destinations in Europe. But city officials also say there is a small positive sign. Tourism is still growing, but the pace of growth is slowing down.
That is not enough for many residents. For people living in the city, the issue is not only about tourists. It is also about noise, crowded streets, public transport, housing pressure and the balance between visitors and local life.
Amsterdam has tried several measures in recent years. These include stricter hotel rules, a hotel stop, a ban on smoking cannabis in parts of the city centre and campaigns aimed at nuisance tourists. The city has also made overnight stays more expensive through tourist tax.
Still, the total number of overnight stays remains above the level the city set for itself. A group of residents has taken legal action because they believe the municipality is not doing enough to keep tourism under the agreed limit.
The story matters because tourism policy affects everyday life in Amsterdam. It can influence rental pressure, rules around holiday rentals, neighbourhood planning, taxes, business activity and the future of the city centre.
The city expects tourist overnight stays to keep rising until 2028. Amsterdam’s research office says the number could reach between 25 million and 29.4 million by then, depending on the scenario.
That means the debate is not going away. The next question is whether the city will take stronger steps, such as stricter limits on visitor accommodation, more pressure on tourist-focused businesses or higher costs for visitors.
Amsterdam wants to remain open to visitors. But the latest figures show that the city is still struggling to bring tourism back to a level that feels manageable for residents.
