In response to the criticism aimed at the proposed ban of guided tours in Amsterdam's red-light district, the Amsterdam government has announced Thursday the ban of guided tours that specifically take groups past the infamous windows where tourists watch semi-naked sex workers pose.
This latest development is part of the government's on-going attempt to tidy the city's image by addressing over-tourism and protecting the sex workers of the Dutch capital's red-light district, who are a popular draw for unruly tourists.
According to Amsterdam officials, sex workers are frequently abused by members of group tours, who photograph them from outside the windows without their consent.
"It is disrespectful to treat sex workers as a tourist attraction," Amsterdam Deputy Mayor Victor Everhardt said in a statement.
The move to restrict group tours through the red-light distract rather than outright ban them came about after the original proposal drew backlash from sex workers themselves. The sex worker's union argued that tour guides were necessary in the red-light district because they serve as educators and often remind tourists to be respectful toward people in the sex industry.
Without tour guides, they reasoned, over-tourism will still be a problem in the red-light district, but there will no longer be anyone to keep the rowdier tourists in line.
The new restrictions will be implemented in April. Group tours will still be permitted in the district so long as guides keep the windows off their itineraries.
According to Evergardt, this new policy "will help to prevent disruptions for residents and businesses."
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