Schleswig-Holstein: New guest tax for more tourism flexibility!

Schleswig-Holstein: New guest tax for more tourism flexibility!

Schleswig-Holstein has announced an exciting turnaround in tourism policy. In the future, not only the classic health resorts and resorts, but also recognized tourist resorts will be able to charge spa taxes. This step is part of a bill that the black-green state government has submitted and which must now be discussed in the state parliament. Interior Minister Magdalena Finke (CDU) emphasizes that this gives municipalities more options to improve their tourism offerings. The spa tax is even renamed the “guest tax”, which makes the name appear more modern and targeted. Currently, only 188 localities that are considered state-recognized are allowed to collect a tax, but with the new regulation, three more cities will be added: Albersdorf, Flensburg and Lübeck, which have received the status of a tourist resort. This levy is intended as financial support to operate and maintain public facilities for spa and recreational purposes, as Tageskarte reports.

However, political reactions to this project are divided. While the state government views the measures positively, there are critical voices from the opposition, especially from the SPD and the FDP. SPD local politician Kai Dolgner describes the proposals as unambitious, while Bernd Buchholz from the FDP warned that the introduction of this guest tax could potentially harm tourism and cause prices for holidaymakers to rise significantly without simultaneously improving the range of services on offer.

Support for municipalities

Changing the tax regulations is not the only thing on the state government's agenda. The financial concerns of the municipalities in Schleswig-Holstein should also be seriously addressed. Many communities complain about strict requirements and their freedom of action is severely restricted. The country is therefore planning measures to provide financial relief, which were decided by the cabinet on Tuesday. These measures are intended to reduce bureaucracy, strengthen municipal responsibility and provide more funds. Another important change concerns the possibility for smaller municipalities to appoint a full-time mayor, which lowers the limit from 4,000 to 2,000 residents. In addition, there is no need for approval for changes to the main statutes, which significantly reduces the administrative effort, according to NDR.

The efforts to improve the financial basis in municipalities are part of a broader tourism strategy that will be pursued until 2025. This strategy has three central goals: strengthening the economic factor of tourism, improving the industry's competitive position and strengthening the country's image and marketing. With these measures, the state government wants to promote tourism in Schleswig-Holstein in the long term and increase competitiveness, as emphasized on the website of the Schleswig-Holstein Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

A look into the future

The surroundings surrounding the topic of tourism in Schleswig-Holstein remain exciting. The planned draft law on guest tax will be subject to intensive discussions in the state parliament next year. The attitude of local authorities will be crucial, particularly given the financial challenges many face. It remains to be seen what the implementation of the new regulations will look like in practice and whether the desired goals can actually be achieved.

Whether the planned guest levy brings the hoped-for benefit or becomes a burden for tourism - the coming months promise to shed some light on the matter.