Tourist tax: Uniform way almost done

Tegernsee is helping to increase the resort fee to three euros.

The city council decided this with 10: 5 votes.

This was preceded by a detailed debate about the digitization offensive of Tegernseer Tal Tourismus GmbH (TTT).

• Tegernsee decides by a majority to increase the resort fee to three euros.

• Uniform route almost done, only Bad Wiessee will discuss again.

• City council received information about the planned digitization offensive.

Tegernsee - As the last municipality in the valley, the city council dealt with increasing the resort fee from two to three euros on May 1, 2021.

Tegernsee last increased the tourist tax in 2012: at that time from 1.60 to two euros.

The reason for the increase was not only the deficit of the spa facilities of 779,000 euros, but also the TTT's financial needs.

The tourism organization needs at least 600,000 euros a year to play in the league of the best destinations.

TTT Managing Director Christian Kausch and Advisory Board Chairman Ludwig Klitzsch came to the meeting and explained the financial requirements in detail.

"The current good demand is not a sure-fire success," said Kausch and reported a 10.16 percent increase in overnight stays in Tegernsee in September, before Klitzsch gave an overview of strategies and finances and pointed out where the trip should be for the Tegernsee valley.

That generates 60 to 70 percent of the added value from tourism over 300 million euros in the district.

The fact that TTT was able to buy back the “Der Tegernsee” brand from the ATS (Alpenregion Tegernsee Schliersee) organization, which operates in parallel in the district (see box), is an important step towards regaining control over the brand.

Because today the Internet is the battlefield in which the Austrians in particular are ahead, and 80 percent of bookings are made online, it is important to act.

That is why the digitization offensive is necessary.

“Core competencies” should be strengthened.

A strong online team, project managers, content specialists, webmasters and external idea providers are required.

Jobs are already advertised.

"Then we will be able to keep up," said Klitzsch, who at the same time considered the cost reduction through the Tourist Information Office (TI) to be inevitable.

With 50 cents more health resort contribution, it would be possible to provide the at least 600,000 euros required annually for building up the digital brand.

Otherwise, according to Klitzsch, tourism could die, as is happening in Bad Tölz.

Tourism at Tegernsee: "Do we want quantity or quality?"

FWG spokesman Andreas Obermüller was grateful for the information and the transparency: "The mistrust is dissolving," he said.

Marcus Staudacher (Greens) was not enthusiastic about the increase in the health resort contribution by at least 50 percent.

He demanded to keep an eye on the families and requested that young people up to 16 or 17 years of age be exempt from the tourist tax.

He thought it would make sense if all municipalities could decide this.

Mayor Johannes Hagn (CSU) promised an examination of this "Lex Tegernsee".

Fast and many bookings thanks to the Internet: “I'm not sure if we want that?” Ursula Janssen (Greens) asked herself.

She called for "sustainable tourism".

A point that Manuela Brandl (BürgerListe) also took up.

"We all feel that on some days we no longer feel good," said Brandl and therefore asked: "Do we want quantity or quality?"

In the further course it was emphasized that the increase of the spa tax was justified and that it would be important if Bad Wiessee would join the unified path.

Wiessee had rushed ahead and single-handedly increased the health resort contribution to 3.30 euros (we reported).

When asked, manager Hilmar Danzinger leaves it open whether the community will swerve on the common route: "There will be discussions, nothing has been decided."

In the end, Mayor Hagn saw “a lot of discussion still needed”.

The resort fee increase, which was decided with 10: 5 votes, is not connected with the determination of strategic orientations, the distribution of the total budget or the future of the TIs.

However, only half of the contribution increased by one euro goes to TTT.

50 cents remain with the city for the spa administration and the increased use of staff in the building yard.

DER TEGERNSEE: TTT is buying back brands

In 2013, the DER TEGERNSEE brand was introduced as part of a tourist master plan process, created by the Munich agency “Zeichen & Wunder”.

The logo is reminiscent of an alpine rose, the straight lettering is flanked by a crown and waves.

It should symbolize excellence and prestige, it said at the introduction.

At the same time, the Tegernsee-Schliersee Alpine Region (ATS) also made a mark with a green logo.

"Because the master plan was coordinated by ATS and all the money flowed into ATS, the brand was registered through ATS," explains TTT managing director Christian Kausch.

With the repurchase of the brand, it is now possible to define the structures more clearly.

That doesn't change much about the cooperation with ATS, says Kausch.

However, the free disposal of the brand enables more application possibilities and creates a new awareness and opportunities for identification.

During the meeting it was also announced that TTT had to pay 57,000 euros to ATS to buy back the brand. 

You can read all information from the region here.

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