Widespread in the city is the notion that increasing
competition among European cities has required
ever more emphasis to be placed on each city’s
strengths in order to attract desired visitors and residents.
It should be remembered that Amsterdam
has not undisputed primacy within The Netherlands
but faces strong competition from The Hague, the
de facto political centre, Rotterdam, which poses a
strong commercial challenge and even smaller cities
which compete with a distinctive historical, cultural
or educational image. The general belief is that a
more efficient use of marketing will lead to an increase
of the number of visitors and the use of products
and services in Amsterdam. The major goals
stated are to attract more attention to the city from
international audiences and maintain or increase the
position of the city in various international rankings
(City of Amsterdam, 2004).