It’s Friday morning and the invasion has already begun. Armed with suitcases and heady expectations, a steady stream of tourists are trickling out of Amsterdam’s Central Station, among them stag parties from Britain, whose mischievous smiles and boisterous behaviour suggests a hedonistic weekend lies ahead.

According to the Dutch tourist board more than 5.2 million tourists descended on Amsterdam last year, a fifth of whom came from Britain. That’s a lot of visitors for any destination to deal with, but it’s particularly challenging for a diminutive city like Amsterdam, which has a population of just 800,000.

“It’s unlivable here at the weekend,” laments local resident, Bert Nap, whose mezzanine apartment overlooks Achterburgwal canal. “I have a small place in the country and I go there at the weekend just to escape.”

More than five million tourists visit Amsterdam each year Credit: travnikovstudio - Fotolia

Mr Nap, an author, lives in his cosy canalside flat with his wife and daughter. Once upon a time the building was part of a convent; ironically it’s now part of Amsterdam’s notorious red light district.

But it’s not the local sex workers that Mr Nap blames for bringing the neighbourhood down, it’s tourists. Or to be more specific, Airbnb.

“The neighbourhood has changed from a resident-based neighbourhood to a tourist-based neighbourhood,” he says. “We have different neighbours every week.”

Those who are left are not living in their own neighbourhood anymore Bert Nap, resident

Mr Nap represents a growing number of residents in Amsterdam who believe tourism in the city is becoming unsustainable, as more homeowners turf tenants out to make way for high-yield holidaymakers.

“There’s a feeling that those who are left are not living in their own neighbourhood anymore,” he sighs. “Amsterdam is starting to look like a playground for visitors; what people call Disneyfication.”

The local police has also expressed fears that crowds in Amsterdam are swelling to the point of being dangerous.

Similar scenarios are playing out in cities like Venice, San Francisco and Barcelona, where peer-to-peer accommodation websites such as Airbnb are being blamed for undermining the character of those destinations.

“The originality of the city centre is slipping away,” Mr Nap tells me. “Things are getting out of balance.”

But not for much longer, perhaps: yesterday Amsterdam and Airbnb signed a landmark agreement that could have implications that are felt way beyond the Dutch capital.

Under the new agreement, Airbnb has agreed to introduce a mechanism on its website that will make it impossible for users in Amsterdam to rent their properties out for longer than 60 days per annum.

The Airbnb agreement could have implications that are felt way beyond Amsterdam

Airbnb has also agreed to implement a new online tool for people living near its properties in Amsterdam, allowing them to raise concerns about a listing, including noise complaints.

The city government, meanwhile, has agreed to introduce a new 24-hour hotline for residents to raise concerns about Airbnb properties. Cities around the world will be paying close attention.

One of a number of posters protesting against the 'Disneyfication' of #Amsterdam A photo posted by Gavin Haines (@gavin_haines) on Dec 2, 2016 at 12:33am PST

“The pioneering collaboration between Airbnb and Amsterdam is unique to the city,” said a government spokesperson. “Amsterdam will now seek similar agreements with other accommodation platforms.”

In what was perhaps a swipe at other cities around the world - including San Francisco, which has taken Airbnb to court - the accommodation site commended Amsterdam for its collaborative approach.

“The new measures are an example to the world and demonstrate the positive results that can be achieved when policymakers and Airbnb work together on our shared goals of making cities better places to live, work and visit,” said James McClure, Airbnb general manager for Northern Europe.

Airbnb signed an agreement with the city this week to limit stays Credit: AFP or licensors/JOHN MACDOUGALL

In addition to reining in Airbnb, the city government told Telegraph Travel that it is exploring other measures to halt the so-called Disneyfication of Amsterdam, including a moratorium on new hotels.

We have decided to put a stop to new hotels in the city centre Krista Verweij, city spokesperson

“We are trying to get a grip on growth,” says Sebastiaan Meijer, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office. “In some part of the city we are not allowing any new hotels and in other parts of the city we will be really strict.”

The local government also plans to move the cruise terminal outside the city centre and prohibit sightseeing coaches from driving through downtown Amsterdam. It is also banning the so-called “beer bikes” that have popped up in cities across Europe.

“There are a lot of other things we are looking at including putting more [law enforcement] officers on the streets,” said Meijer. “We are being more strict on people who misbehave.”

The latter measure is a response to unruly stag groups who, much to the chagrin of residents, have become a common feature in the city.

“I’m not against tourists, but I want to see some sort of normality,” says Mr Nap. “For a long time we have been cast aside as people who are moaning. Now the council is listening.

Residents fear that neighbourhoods are being taken over by tourists Credit: Giorgio Fochesato/Giorgio Fochesato

“It recognises that [tourism] is not self-regulating and that there has to be regulation from above.”

Mr Nap welcomes the agreement struck between Amsterdam and Airbnb, but he is concerned that some residents will circumnavigate the new rules by listing their properties on multiple rental platforms.

“I don’t think it’s strict enough, but we shall see,” he says. “The inner city has reached saturation point; the cement of Amsterdam is weakening.”