Culture, Innovation

06\08\2015
Written by Jasmijn Tuit



YELLOW BACKIE: AMSTERDAM STYLE HITCHHIKING

With the rapidly growing number of tourists that visit Amsterdam every year negative attention in the media arises. Bicycle rental company Yellow Bike is convinced that tourists are valuable for the city and therefore decided to turn it into something positive. They introduce Yellow Backie: couch surfing on a bike in Amsterdam. Inspired by the famous Dutch custom of riding on the luggage rack of a friend’s bike. With the intention of bringing tourists and locals together.

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So here is how it works. All Amsterdam’s bike owners can swap their luggage rack for a free yellow one at a Yellow Bike shop. This way they invite tourists for a ride along trough the city. Travelers get to see parts of Amsterdam they might never will otherwise, for locals it’s chance to meet people from all over the world.

Joining the Yellow Backie concept doesn’t involve many rules. Locals don’t always have to stop for potential passengers, only if they feel like it and have the time. The locals do have a certain responsibility towards the tourists. That’s why Yellow Bike asks new Backie drivers to motivate their application. Which they received many of since starting the promotion of Yellow Backie.

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Hanny Kooij, CEO at Yellow Bike says:
“We discovered the new generation of tourists doesn’t really want to feel like a tourist. They wish to be part of the city and blend in like a local. The only way to really do this is to be guided by someone who knows the city by heart.”

At the moment there are already several Backie-drivers cruising the city. This number is expected to be around 200 at the end of this year. If it turns out to be a succes, Yellow Backie hopes to soon expand and see yellow luggage racks all over the world. So ready for new adventures? Get yourself one at the nearest Yellow Bike store or hop on.