Locals left out

Explosive initiative: day tourists should pay

Residents in a dilemma: on the one hand, tourists bring in a lot of money, on the other hand, the rush (as here in Salzburg, for example) becomes a burden.(Bild: APA/BARBARA GINDL)

Ever larger crowds are pushing their way through the cities and storming the mountains. Locals often feel left out. In Vienna, experts discussed city tolls and entrance fees in the style of Venice.

In August alone, more than 40 coaches travel to the city of Salzburg every day: "I wouldn't ask those who spend the night here to pay extra, but day tourists who arrive by coach should pay," says hotelier and NEOS member of parliament Sepp Schellhorn.

1500 euros per coach?
He is proposing 1500 euros per coach and slots for day visitors. Bernd Hinteregger, Carinthian entrepreneur, is not aware of this problem: "We don't have a place where too many guests come." Carinthia still has free capacity. But even Hinteregger can see something to be gained from the idea that day trippers who arrive by bus or cruise ship should pay something.

In any case, the much-cited city toll in the federal capital is off the table: Vienna's tourism boss Norbert Kettner does not see any "overtourism".

Consensus that new concepts are needed
4,000 Viennese have been surveyed annually since 2016. "Nine out of ten say we understand that tourism is good for the city," says Kettner. There is a consensus that new concepts are needed. Climate change, AI and the search for workers are causing the industry to groan.

State Secretary Susanne Kraus-Winkler has now announced that the tax on official accommodation in the tourism sector will be abolished from next year. Alexander Scheutz, the mayor of Hallstatt, which is particularly affected by crowds of tourists, is clearly against an entrance fee.