Styrian hospitality sector criticizes planned tourist tax hike

The Styrian state government's budget proposal to increase the local tourist tax (Ortstaxe) has drawn sharp criticism from the regional hospitality industry. While a scheduled adjustment would raise the fee from €2.50 to €2.80 in December 2026, the budget for June 2027 proposes a sharp increase to €4.90 per person per night.

The Austrian Hotel Association (ÖHV) and local hoteliers warn that this nearly 96 percent increase within six months could damage the region's competitive price-performance ratio. Styria was Austria's most popular domestic travel destination last year, hosting 2.5 million guests.

Industry representatives, including ÖHV state chairman Gernot Deutsch and hotelier Gerhard Höflehner, highlight that the hike will disproportionately affect families and budget-friendly accommodations, as the cumulative cost for multi-person households can reach triple digits. There is also significant discontent regarding the allocation of funds; while these taxes are traditionally earmarked for regional tourism infrastructure, the new plan suggests one-third of the additional revenue will flow directly into the general state budget.