Heidelberg raises accommodation tax: 3.50 euros from October!

Heidelberg raises accommodation tax: 3.50 euros from October!

A new regulation will be added to Heidelberg's visitors from October 1: the city introduces an overnight tax tax that is paid by tourists and business travelers. This decision was recently approved by the local council, and the amount of the tax is 3.50 euros per night for adults. Children and adolescents up to the age of 16 remain unaffected by this regulation and do not have to pay a fee. This reports the Rheinpfalz .

The new “City Tax” applies to both private and business stays and is only charged for a maximum of five nights, provided that the overnight stay is in the same hostel. This measure aims to involve visitors in the costs of the city's tourist infrastructure. Heidelberg invests considerable means for the structure, maintenance and further expansion of this infrastructure, which is essential for the attractiveness of the city as a travel destination, as is in a report on Heidelberg24

Financial aspects of overnight stay tax

The city expects annual income of around five million euros, based on more than 1.8 million overnight stays in the past year. These funds should not only be used to improve tourist offers, but also to preserve the infrastructure. The associated personnel and material costs for the management of the tax amount to around 110,000 euros annually.

It is important to know that the tax is also levied for private rooms and holiday apartments, regardless of whether the complete accommodation services are used. However, there is a transitional arrangement: guests who have been shown to have booked before the statutes come into force are freed from the tax. Facilities such as hospitals, rehabilitation clinics as well as old people's and nursing homes are also excluded from the fee.

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