In the autumn of 2025, three interactive workshops on the future of tourism in Amsterdam were organised on behalf of the City of Amsterdam. The programme was developed by Ko Koens, Guido Stompff, Jimena Diamint and Ellen Bulthuis, under the leadership of Ruth Delfgaauw (Being a Designer). The workshops were organised by Inholland University of Applied Sciences, with the first workshop held in collaboration with Breda University of Applied Sciences.
Why these workshops?
Amsterdam faces important choices when it comes to tourism. How can the city remain a pleasant place to live and work, while continuing to be attractive to visitors? Based on the conviction that residents, entrepreneurs, policymakers and the municipality must work together on these issues, a series of dialogical and co-creative workshops was initiated. A full list of participants can be found in the appendix at the bottom of this page.
Note: two graduate students have already been connected to one of the participating partners.
The aim of the workshops was to develop one or more shared narratives about tourism in Amsterdam: recognisable stories that can guide policy, initiatives and collaboration.
The three workshops
The first workshop focused on sharing and exploring different perspectives, drawing on interviews with all participants and an initial narrative capturing shared hopes and ambitions for Amsterdam. The second workshop translated these perspectives into coherent stories and future scenarios, highlighting possible choices and priorities for tourism in the city. During the third and final workshop, the focus shifted from vision to action, resulting in concrete actions, experiments and activities that participants can undertake—individually or through their organisations—in the months ahead to contribute to the shared vision.
What did it deliver?
The workshops were characterised by open and substantive discussions, generating a rich diversity of insights. A key outcome is the joint and concrete action agenda that emerged from the process. In addition, a solid foundation has been established for continued collaboration on the future of tourism in Amsterdam.