The Dutch village of Zaanse Schans, known worldwide for its historic windmills, will charge visitors €17.50 ($20.50) from next spring in an effort to manage overcrowding, local officials said.
The open-air heritage site, located just outside Amsterdam, drew 2.6 million visitors last year, more than 25,000 per resident in the community of about 100 people. Authorities say the surge has overwhelmed infrastructure and eroded quality of life for locals.
“The growth is overwhelming,” said Marieke Verweij, director of the village museum. “Visitors often forget people live here. They walk into gardens, knock on doors, even peer inside homes with selfie sticks.”
The entry fee, rare for a living community, will include admission to the village museum and access inside several of its 17th-century windmills. Officials estimate revenues of around €24.5 million annually, earmarked for maintaining the mills and building new facilities such as toilets.
Local shopkeepers and restaurant owners warn the measure could reduce foot traffic and cut spending. “A family of four could spend around €100 just to get here. That leaves little budget for our shops,” said Sterre Schaap, co-owner of a gift store.
Tourists are divided. Some call the price steep for a small village, while others say fewer crowds would restore its charm.
The move comes as destinations across Europe test new tools to address overtourism. Venice introduced a €5 entry fee for day-trippers earlier this year, while Bhutan charges a daily tourism tax.
Zaanse Schans, which showcases traditional Dutch crafts such as cheese-making and clog production, remains one of the Netherlands’ most visited attractions. Authorities hope the fee will slow visitor growth while preserving the village’s cultural heritage and boosting revenues for upkeep.
