Besides leisure tourism, Amsterdam attracts visitors for business. The number of tourists keeps increasing because it is robust both economically and recreationally.
Tourism started a long time before the word 'tourist' was formed. It dated as far back as the 17th century where wealthy nobles traveled for pleasure and education.
In the 21st century, tourism has become a significant economic hub for nations, with countries like Amsterdam harnessing its full potential. Today, countries like Amsterdam have given a new face to tourism considering the many attractions in the city.
Overview of Amsterdam
Notably, in the Netherlands, Amsterdam is also the most populated city. Also, Amsterdam's population is estimated to be about 1,158,00. It has a lot of recreational centers and tourist attractions for visitors.
Additionally, it is one of the European capital cities with a low standard of living. There is healthy work and life balance in Amsterdam, cultural diversity, and healthy competition among businesses, and a good educational system.
Meanwhile, before the advent of tourism, it was the home to European jewelry. The city was ranked as one of The safest places to stay in the world. It did not come with surprises as it offers affordable health care, a sound educational system, simple living, an excellent child care plan, and a robust economy to its citizens. It has a lot of fascinating sites to keep visitors and inhabitants thrilled and entertained maximally.
What made Amsterdam popular
You must have wondered why Amsterdam gets lots of tourists each year compared to the other European countries. Here are some of the reasons;
The city's atmosphere: Amsterdam has a friendly and welcoming environment. The municipality makes everybody feel energetic regardless of their age. The aura from the town is inviting, and there is never a dull moment. Activities like cycling and smoking weed make the aged feel alive and young again.
Museum: It is home to World-renowned museums. It has more than 50 museums making it the city with the highest museum in the world.
It brings old artifacts and history to the modern era. Sex museum Van Gogh Museum attracts tourists from different parts of the world yearly.
Floating houses: More than half of the city is submerged in water. This was due to World War 11. There were no houses after the war, and people made do with anywhere that pleased them. Today, floating houses are the norm, and tourists come to see for themselves.
Food: The native food of the Dutch is unique, especially their drinks. At the bar, special beer is served. Its drinks are second to none.
Transportation: Amsterdam is the city for you if you have ever thought of sleeping in the water while traveling. It has a lot of canals, even more than Venice. More so, in Amsterdam tourists can travel up to 9000 km on water. Asides from its water transport, cycling is another method of transportation, and many people travel to see a city where bicycles are a primary transportation medium.
Beauty: The City of Amsterdam is well known for its charming streets adorned with split canals. Every corner you go to is a beautiful artifact to thrill your eyes.
Liberalization: Most of the city's tourism is based on redlight districts and coffee shops due to the legitimization of prostitution and weed. Tourists come to have a feel of it. This brings much excitement though it harms society.
From research, it is known that about 1.4% of its inhabitants make use of weed every day. Many have become addicted to drugs, although a higher percentage of its citizens have never smoked in their lives.
Additionally, there are sex workers dressed up with only lingerie. They stay at the window calling men. About 25% of tourist visits the coffee shops while 335,000 men see the sex workers.
When did tourism start in Amsterdam?
Tourism started in the city as early as the 12th century. Amsterdam, which started as a fishing region, became a tourist destination because of its wealth. It is a beautiful city with images of tulips, houseboats, and canals.
The city's abundance and beauty became the focal point that invited people in. It was an opportunity to encounter better things in life. Amsterdam has outstanding painters so that you would find a lot of artworks and museums there. Undoubtedly, tourism in Amsterdam is hinged on this. Tourism contributes significantly to its wealth as in 2018. The revenue generated stood at 30.4 billion euros.
Tourist attraction in Amsterdam
Certainly, Amsterdam is the most populous destination for tourists. Let's see some of the tourist attractions:
Rijks museum: It is one of the most popular attractions for tourists. The museum was founded in 1798. It was built purposely to house the country's arts and antiques.
Furthermore, the arts in Rijks museum originate from 13 century. It has over a million artworks,250 rooms, and 8000 paintings. In addition, Rijksmuseum has a well-finished library that has more than 35000 manuscripts and books.
Vondel Park: Interestingly, Vondel Park is visited by tourists more than any other park in Amsterdam. It has a lot of fun activities to engage in.
Asides from the excitement in the park, there are ponds and gardens with over 70 different flowers. Sculptures of various kinds, playgrounds, and recreational centers are there. Vondel park is used as the venue for stage production and musical performance from May to September.
Dam square: The Dam square is also a central tourist hub. Incredibly so, in the Dam Square, you can find the Madame Tussauds wax museum and the National Memorial Statue. Not to mention, the National Memorial statute is dedicated to the Dutch Soldiers that passed on in World War II. In addition, it has many restaurants, cafes, shops where tourists can get to eat Dutch foods.
Royal Palace of Amsterdam: The Royal Palace of Amsterdam was formerly known as The Town Hall. It is the residence of the King. It has a very magnificent structure. It is the prototype of ancient Rome.
Other vital features include The first collection of furniture in the World, Painting done by Flinck and Bol, the Hall of the Alderman, Ceiling painting.
The Botanical Gardens: Amsterdam has nature at heart. The city's botanical garden is called Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam. Not to mention, Botanical Gardens is a very old garden. Amazingly, the Botanical Gardens was built in 1638.
In addition to its beauty, it serves as an herb garden for Apothecaries and Doctors. It has trees, exotic flowers, and rare plants.
The Royal zoo of Amsterdam: Barely a short walk from botanical gardens, you will find the Royal Zoo. It was established in 1838. The Zoo is a world-class attraction and one of the oldest in the world. It is home to different creatures.
There are also nocturnal animal houses, an insectarium, a butterfly pavilion, and a zoological museum.
Stedelijk Museum: For those who are lovers of modern and contemporary artwork, then Stedelijk is a must-see. The museum is the 4th most visited in Amsterdam. It houses about 9000 paintings dating back to the 20th till date.
Conclusion
Besides leisure tourism, Amsterdam attracts visitors for business. The number of tourists keeps increasing because it is robust both economically and recreationally. Besides, Amsterdam has high-end accommodations, stunning architecture and beautiful sights. Finally, Amsterdam is one of the best places to visit in Europe.
