DeTourism

Abstract

Amsterdam is increasingly confronted with the challenges of overtourism, where the influx of visitors exceeds the city’s capacity to accommodate them without negatively impacting liveability. This thesis addresses the urgent need for a spatial and systemic response to overtourism by exploring how spatiotemporal and morphological urban data can inform new tourism strategies. Central to the research is the development of a novel method to measure tourist pressure using publicly accessible data from Google Maps—specifically, review counts and Popular Times data. These digital traces were processed to generate a continuous, time-based pressure metric, allowing for the spatial and temporal mapping of tourism flows across the city.
The analysis identified not only when and where tourism pressure is concentrated, but also how the urban environment mediates its effects. Spatial hotspots such as the city centre, Museumplein, and Vondelpark showed consistently high pressure, particularly in the evenings and weekends. Morphological and network analyses further revealed that certain neighbourhoods, despite being well-connected or underutilised, remain largely excluded from the tourism system. Indicators such as Angular Choice (space syntax), Floor Space Index (FSI), Ground Space Index (GSI), and Mixed-use Index (MXI) were used to assess urban capacity, and a moderation analysis showed how built form characteristics influence the relationship between tourist pressure and perceived nuisance.
Building on these insights, the thesis introduces the “DeTour” strategy—a spatial corridor linking three underutilised but well-connected urban cores: Sloterdijk, Zuidas, and Bijlmer ArenA. These areas were selected based on their existing hotel infrastructure, high network capacity, and potential for spatial development without displacing residential life. The strategy reinterprets Amsterdam’s multi-core vision, offering a phased and grounded alternative that redistributes flows through a network of interconnected nodes and transitions. Spatial designs for key areas demonstrate how these interventions can enhance tourist experience while strengthening local liveability.
Ultimately, the thesis shows how integrating data science with urban design can yield actionable strategies for cities grappling with overtourism. The methodology developed is not only transparent and reproducible but also adaptable to other urban contexts, contributing both to academic discourse and to practical planning efforts aimed at creating more balanced and resilient urban environments.