Amsterdam gears up to bring balance to tourism

AMSTERDAM - The Dutch city unveiled far-reaching plans on Wednesday to rein in tourism, reflecting the dissatisfaction of many residents who feel its historic center has been overrun.

The leading Green-Left and other parties, negotiating a new municipal government after March elections, vowed to return "Balance to the City", in a document of that name seen by the media.

"The positive sides of tourism such as employment and city revenues are being more and more overshadowed by the negative consequences"-including trash and noise pollution, the document said.