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Dutch Tourist Board Wants Instagrammers to Stop Trampling Tulips

News
by Eben Diskin Apr 26, 2019

The Netherlands’ iconic flower is suffering from a serious case of Instagram madness. Tourists who want the perfect selfie with the beautiful flowers have been trampling fields of tulips, causing farmers to suffer thousands of dollars in damage.

To encourage tourists to be more responsible when venturing into tulip fields, the Dutch tourist board has launched a campaign designed to remind people to take “tulip-friendly selfies” from outside the fields, using the hashtag #watchyourfeet.

Perhaps unwilling to put all their eggs in the #watchyourfeet basket, farmers have taken matters into their own hands, installing fences around tulip fields that encourage visitors to enjoy the view from afar. Signs in English and Chinese read: “Enjoy the Flowers, Respect Our Pride.” According to the Noordwijkerhout tourist office, a village southwest of Amsterdam, a group of 40 voluntary guides or “ambassadors” will be on hand to teach visitors about the history of tulip fields and remind them why it’s important to respect the colorful landscape.

The Netherlands tourism board has even published a list of dos and don’ts for flower-crazed visitors to know exactly what is expected of them.

The Netherlands, especially Amsterdam, is trying hard to deal with its overtourism issue. Measures include introducing tougher regulations on Airbnb, implementing a seven percent tourist tax, and restricting the development of new hotels and tourist-centric shops. Recently, guided tours of the red-light district have also been banned to reduce disturbance for local residents.

H/T: Lonely Planet

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