Essay in ‘Amsterdam: Anticipating the Future?’

Architect, consultant and tourism expert Stephen Hodes took the initiative to publish a magazine, Amsterdam: Anticipating the Future?, which explores the future of the Dutch capital as a tourist destination. Through a selection of essays, interviews, photos and infographics, the magazine discusses the expected growth of the number of people visiting Amsterdam from around the globe. While this generates new jobs and extra revenues, it also increases the prices of real estate and the costs of living in the city. What to do?

In one of the essays, Michiel van Iersel focuses on the stellar growth of the number of Chinese tourists. Already showing a double-digit growth in recent years, the Netherlands tourism bureau NBTC expects a further increase from 217.000 last year to 400.000 visitors from China in the coming years. In his essay (in Dutch) Michiel gives an account of his experience travelling with Chinese tourists, challenging the overemphasis on Amsterdam’s historic inner city and stretching the boundaries of what could be considered the new Amsterdam.

Simon Kuper wrote a nice response to the publication in the Financial Times.

More info here get a copy of the publication here, (€14,50, in Dutch & certain sections in English).