The visitor’s tax means that everyone who stays in Fulda makes a decisive contribution to the preservation of the town’s cultural heritage. This helps to ensure that the infrastructure for tourists is well-maintained and that there are plenty of different leisure activities available to try during your time in Fulda.
A visitor’s tax with purpose Preserving culture & promoting diversity
Visitor’s taxes have been levied in Germany since the 16th century. The types and arrangements vary massively. Unlike tourist or bed levies, guest, town, tourism or other taxes for tourists, the visitor’s tax is earmarked for a specific purpose. The proceeds are partially used to cover marketing aimed at tourists and guests as well as to safeguard and improve the town itself.
Fulda is a very popular place. The city is currently home to over 70,000 residents and records almost 700,000 overnight stays each year. Situated in the heart of Germany and easy to access from all directions, Fulda fascinates its guests, and not just because of its baroque flair. In terms of scenery, the city enjoys a picturesque location between the Vogelsberg mid-mountain range and the Rhön UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which was named an international Dark Sky Park in 2014.
Fulda is a charming town where guests can enjoy a pleasant stay, and soak up the rich history and range of cultural and historical sights and attractions. Tourism does not just help to strengthen the local economy and provide jobs, it also helps to promote cultural diversity and the town’s cultural heritage. Everyone who travels to Fulda – whether as a tourist or for business purposes – can enjoy the diversity of Fulda and its sights, including Fulda Cathedral, the Residence, the baroque quarter and many other attractions. In addition, Fulda hosts a wide range of events and boasts some excellent food and drink options, which only serve to make everyone's stay in Fulda an even better experience.
A small contribution with a big impact For Fulda’s future
The City of Fulda is an officially recognised tourist attraction. From 1st April 2024, the City of Fulda is to levy a charge to contribute to the costs of the design, planning and implementation of offers and services for tourists, events, institutions and structures, as well as for marketing and advertising campaigns.
The proceeds from the visitor’s tax will have a significant impact on improvements to the tourist infrastructure and services provided. The money will make the town more attractive to visitors and locals alike. The visitor’s tax will strengthen the local economy, trade and the entire hospitality industry. In addition, it will help to secure jobs, promote new talent and to continue to increase the quality of life and the experiences that tourists have in Fulda. In addition, the visitor’s tax will also be used to finance regional, end-to-end and sustainable projects.
Transition phase
No visitor’s tax will be levied between 1st April and 30th September 2024, so long as the binding booking or order confirmation is made before 1st April 2024.
LEGAL BASIS
The legal basis for the visitor’s tax is §2 and §13 of the German Law on Municipal Taxes (KAG) as well as the statutes on the collection of a tourism contribution in the area of the City of Fulda (tourism contribution statutes).
The tax in detail
The visitor’s tax is set at two euro per person per day. In principle, all visiting adults who pay for accommodation within the City of Fulda are liable to pay the tax.
Contribution declaration
The accommodation provider is responsible for collecting the visitor’s tax. The visitor’s tax must be paid to the City of Fulda (city treasury) by 15th April, 15th July, 15th October and 15th January for the respective previous quarter.
Download of the contribution declaration follows
Information for accommodation providers Collection and payment
- Accommodation providers collect the visitor’s tax along with the information required from those liable to pay the tax. The visitor’s tax must be listed separately in the invoice for the accommodation.
- The contribution declaration and visitor’s tax contributions are automatically submitted to the City of Fulda at the same time. The fees are collected electronically.
- The accommodation provider submits the visitor’s tax together with the contribution declaration for the previous respective quarter in the form of a receipt (invoice) to the City of Fulda (city treasury) by the 15th April, 15th July, 15th October and 15th January, respectively. The City of Fulda provides the documents and systems required for this.
- The accommodation provider is subject to the statutory reporting requirement.
Record-keeping and reporting requirements
All accommodation providers within the City of Fulda are subject to record-keeping and reporting requirements. This includes campsites, tent pitches and other similar locations as well as all owners of apartments who temporarily provide rooms or living space for a fee (holiday houses, holiday apartments, etc.). The reporting requirements are waived where no persons who are subject to the visitor’s tax are accommodated (e.g. hospitals).
Monitoring
The City of Fulda is entitled to carry out relevant monitoring in the accommodation establishments.