Amsterdam is planning to impose further limits on holiday rentals in the city centre and Pijp district, following research suggesting locals are still experiencing major problems with tourism.

The maximum number of days a homeowner can rent out their property to tourists is being cut from 30 to 15, and the practice could be banned altogether if there are no improvements, council officials say.

“Homes are meant to be lived in,” city housing chief Zita Pels said. “We want to make sure neighbourhoods remain nice places to live and limit the problems facing Amsterdammers.”

The Supreme Court earlier overturned a council ban on holiday rentals in some parts of the centre, saying the city should try less stringent measures first to limit the nuisance caused by tourists. Only once that had been done and evaluated could officials introduce a total ban, the court said.

The new reduction in overnight stays is part of that process.

The council has been clamping down on holiday rentals since 2014 and introduced the 30-day limit in 2019. Since then, the number of Airbnb registrations in the city has fallen by 58%.

The proposals still need to be discussed with rental agencies, residents, and local businesses, and if all goes well, they will come into effect in April 2026. They may also be extended to other parts of the city.

According to Amsterdam’s own statistics agency, O&S, many of the problems experienced by locals are down to tourism in general rather than holiday rentals. And Clément Eulry, Airbnb’s manager for the Netherlands, told the Telegraaf that the council’s plan is no solution.

“These new limits on short-term rentals are a political distraction from the real problems facing Amsterdam,” he said. “This policy will hit Amsterdammers who depend on rentals, while tourists are moved into more expensive hotels, leaving the problems unsolved.”

Amsterdam has introduced a string of measures to reduce visitor numbers, including imposing restrictions on cruise ships and raising tourist tax to the highest level in the EU.