In a notorious move, Amsterdam has used the world's oldest profession to boost tourism, and it has worked brilliantly. Prostitution has long existed openly in the Netherlands, though the country's more than 2,000 brothels were only officially made legal in late 1999. Current legislation regulates child sex labor and illegal immigrants employed in the sex trade, as well as sanitation and health of the sex trade employees.
The industry is such a large part of the country's reputation that one enterprising entrepreneur had petitioned to open a brothel at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam. The mission to open the "Yum Yum Caviar Club¯" has been stalled by uncertain airport officials and ensuing lawsuits. There are even drive-through brothels for clients who are pressed for time.
The sex trade dominates the notorious Red Light District, where some of the city's oldest and most beautiful buildings can be found. By night, this district comes alive with girlie shows, peep shows, live porn shows, sex souvenir shops, brothels and more. Anything imaginable having to do with sex, this is the place to find it.
However, this seeming obsession with sex does not dominate the entire Dutch culture. In fact, the lustful offerings of the Red Light District are easy to avoid if necessary. There are plenty of family-friendly offerings throughout Amsterdam as well, but the fact remains that the sex trade is one of the city's biggest moneymakers.
For that reason, the Red Light District concept has begun cropping up in other cities throughout the Netherlands as well, although it is loathed by some of the Dutch people. In Amsterdam, about one-third of the windows where prostitutes dance and display their offerings were eliminated in September 2007.
It is part of an effort to cut back on the illegal and mischievous behavior that the windows attract, particularly sex trafficking and pimping. Nevertheless, the city still allows much of the sex trade to proliferate freely, and tourism continues to thrive.
