Dutch authorities mull fees to tackle overtourism

Zaandijk - With its historic windmills and gabled wooden houses nestling by a meandering river, the picture-perfect and TikTok-famous area of Zaanse Schans is a must-see for any visitor to the Netherlands.

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But the village of centuries-old buildings near Amsterdam has become "a national symbol of overtourism," according to local authorities, who now want to charge a hotly contested entrance fee.

The fierce debate over the €17.50 (about R364) ticket planned for next year comes during a global backlash against mass tourism that has seen hotspots like Venice charge for day trips.

On a glorious summer day when AFP visited, long queues for the world-famous windmills snaked outside the doors and crowds shuffled over bridges, waiting in line for Instagram-ready snaps of the bucolic scenery.