Free tours banned in Amsterdam

Agreed! Large groups anywhere are a nuisance. Better experience with 6 to 12 people and less annoying to all concerned.

1) Great news!

2) What took so long?

3) What are other cities waiting for?

The key take away I received from this article was the welcome stop of guided tours of the red light district. This takes effect 1/1/2020.

I think that any type of group, including a Rick Steves tour group, always needs to be sensitive to the impact of a walking tour. The special microphone/earphones system used by the RS tours is very helpful because it allows people to hear without needing to be be bunched up in a herd blocking things.

Well, worth pointing out some of the details.

1. A complete ban on any walking tours within the confines of the RLD. I suppose this cuts out the seedier tours, but the area of the RLD is interesting for much more than the "Windows"

2. A ban on any "free" walking tours elsewhere in the city. I typically do not partake in these, but they do seem to be popular, the article makes them out to be a scam (hey, take a free tour, but then force a "tip") but in many places there are ones run by good people/volunteers.

3. For paid walking tours, a reduction in size from 20 to 15 participants. Again positive/not positive, don't know, but the effect will be more expensive tours, plus they will be charging a levy. Maybe not a bad thing given the crowding Amsterdam sees and some of the tight spaces. Not sure of the RS tours, maybe they are under the 15 limit.

Does not seem to apply to the Boat Tours (almost as annoying)

We have done a few free walking tours, all were good.

I don't know how the authorities can police such a restrictive law?