Ludwigsburg is planning an overnight tax: two euros per night from 2026!

Ludwigsburg is planning an overnight tax: two euros per night from 2026!

The Ludwigsburg city administration plans to introduce an overnight stay tax from 2026. This measure is intended to become an important source of financing for urban projects. Loud Stuttgart News The tax could be two euros per adult per night. The target group of the tax is both tourists and business travelers, while residents of Ludwigsburg are exempt from this regulation.

The launch is scheduled for July 1, 2026. The city records around 300,000 overnight stays per year, which means that the city could generate annual income of around 550,000 euros from the tax after expenses have been deducted. It is important to note that the tax is only levied on the net overnight price, excluding additional services such as breakfast.

Reactions and discussions in the city council

Opinions in the city council on the introduction of the overnight stay tax are divided. Mayor Matthias Knecht sees loudly Stuttgart News, there is no danger of falling overnight stay numbers and is optimistic that the measure will be accepted by companies. Elmar Kunz, deputy managing director of the city's own Tourism & Events company, supports this assessment.

However, there are different views on the type of levy. Klaus Herrmann from the CDU supports the tax as part of the austerity program, while Carina Kuhnke from the AfD calls for a flat rate. Daniel O’Sullivan from the SPD is in favor of a percentage levy. The local council will decide on the feasibility of the tax on June 25th.

The context of tourism in Baden-Württemberg

Tourism in Baden-Württemberg will show an upward trend in 2024 with new highs in overnight stays. Loud Statistics Baden-Württemberg A total of around 58.9 million overnight stays were recorded, which corresponds to an increase of 1.3 million or 2.3 percent compared to the previous year. The increase is also favored by the upcoming European Football Championship in 2024, which led to an increase in arrivals of foreign guests, particularly in June 2024.

The Stuttgart region, in which Ludwigsburg is located, also benefits from this development, with an increase in overnight stays of 8.7 percent. If you look at the overall economic situation of tourism, the Stuttgart region accounts for a high proportion of overnight stays, which at 16.4 percent is only behind the southern Black Forest and northern Baden-Württemberg.

The importance of overnight stay numbers

In Baden-Württemberg, overnight stays are recorded in accommodation establishments with ten or more beds and on campsites with ten or more parking spaces. These statistics and interactive maps, available on the tourism network website, provide a comprehensive overview of overnight stays and guest arrivals in different regions, such as the tourism network informed.

By introducing the accommodation tax in Ludwigsburg, the city could not only improve its budget situation, but also support and promote the current tourism figures in the region. Political discussions surrounding the tax will become more important in the coming weeks, especially in view of the upcoming decision in the local council.