SUBSCRIBE NEWSLETTERS
ADVERTISE| CLASSIFIEDS| JOBS| E-TRIB
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NETWORK TRIBLIVE LOCAL
Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source
Amsterdam's ban of red-light district tours irks sex workers | TribLIVE.com
Travel

Amsterdam's ban of red-light district tours irks sex workers

Steven Adams
Steven Adams
967356_web1_ptr-redlighttourban2-040319
AP
Tourists bathing in a red glow emanating from the windows and peep shows’ neon lights are packed shoulder to shoulder as they shuffle through the alleys in Amsterdam’s red light district, Netherlands, Friday evening, March 29, 2019. The capital’s latest attempt to rein in the nuisance of over-tourism, banning guided tours of the red light district, has run into opposition from some of the people it is intended to protect, the sex workers.

The sex trade in the Netherlands draws participants and gawkers from around the globe. But the Dutch capital is now cracking down on guided tours to respect sex workers and ease congestion in the red-light district.

The first limits began Monday night with a ban on tours from 7 p.m., reports the Associated Press.

But the main opponents of Amsterdam’s ban are the workers it is intended to protect, reports The Sun.

One woman tweeted, “I am a sex worker in the Red Light District. And no, we are not happy with Amsterdam’s war on tourism.”

Every week, more than 1,000 tours pass through Oudekerksplein, the red-light district’s central square, reports ABC News.

The streets are often packed with visitors bathed in the famous red glow of the storefront windows. But some sex workers claim the guided tours bring order tot he chaos and educate tourists about the rules and etiquette of the district.

In fact, some tours are led by former sex workers. The Telegraph profiled these identical twins who now play a different role in the industry.

Looking for alternatives? A company that provides guided tours is hedging its bet with a self-guiding app. For less than $10, visitors can download the Amsterdam Red Light District Tours app and listen to experts relate the history of the city’s sex trade while strolling past the tantalizing window displays.

For tourists looking to skip the prostitution entirely and catch a movie, a new 5D cinema experience may be just the ticket.

In addition to the three-dimensional images, 5D films add moving seats and special effects such as smoke and water. Porn actress Kim Holland assures that all senses are stimulated by the 5D experience, reports Amsterdam Red Light District Tours.

Steven Adams is a Tribune-Review manager/photography. You can contact Steven at sadams@triblive.com.

Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.

Get Ad-Free >

Categories: News | Travel | U.S./World
Content you may have missed