Are you coming to Amsterdam as a gentrification enthusiast but are a tourist? Are you worried that you cannot find enough spaces that fit your interest? Luckily, Amsterdam and its economy have noticed that tourists are a considerable source of income and have done everything to make you feel welcomed.
Where to stay at night? Airbnb and Co. can help you out
When you plan to stay in Amsterdam overnight, you should take a look at the public renting platforms such as Airbnb or Vrbo. They are the perfect way to plan your stay. Ideally living in one of the inner districts, you can truly enjoy the Amsterdammer life. By living in a rented private apartment, not only do you not see life in the street by daylight but you can also experience the cosiness of Dutch homes at night. A true double win!
Renting out spaces to tourists turned out to be far more lucrative than the private market. For locals that means that the already scarce housing market, gets increasingly scarce, driving even more locals out of the city. It is one of the many things that adcs to the increasing housing prices. But let's be honest, why should tourists care about that? You are here for the fun!
Experience De Wallen and Leidseplein for a wild night out
Tourists have special needs and you are lucky that some parts of Amsterdam are especially considerable about them.
In the East of the city center, you can find de Wallen. While being a rather quiet district during day times, it turns into a vivid area around night times. Famously known for its Red Light District, de Wallen is one of the districts many tourists want to see at least once in a lifetime. Apart from that you find many bars and restaurants with often overpriced food prices. But that is not all, the center also has a lot to offer during the day. You ever wanted to go to Madame Tussauds, the Dungeon or Body Worlds? These are just some of the unique museum experiences Amsterdam has to offer and are truly worth its entrance fees. Its pendants in other cities will be noticeably different for sure. And you know what is the best part of it? Many of these attractions are solely made for tourists, meaning you will not have to meet a single Amsterdammer. Locals try to avoid these areas at any costs. A truly exclusive experience.
Gentrification critiques would call this "standardisation of consumption spaces" (Zukin 1998), so the modelling of consumption spaces to attract certain groups. As a consequence, consumption areas become more alike, specifically tailored for a certain groups. Gentrification separates groups from each other and redesigns areas to fit-group specific interests. Everybody should judge for themselves if it is a bad thing that people stay within the group they feel they belong to.
In case you want to learn more on the topic of consumption space, check out these:
Zukin, S. (1998). "Urban Lifestyles: Diversity and Standardization in Spaces of Consumption". Urban Studies, 35 (5-6), 825-839. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1080/0042098984574. Last accessed June 11th 2022.