Changes for landlords

“Souls of the communities”: ÖVP wants to relieve landlords

A few weeks before the national elections, the ÖVP has presented the tourism chapter of its Austria plan. It also includes an inn package that is intended to support village inns in particular.

"The inns are the soul of the communities," said Kurt Egger (ÖVP), Secretary General of the Wirtschaftsbund, explaining the demands for restaurants.

Abolition of the obligation to provide receipts of less than 30 euros
He called for the abolition of the obligation to provide receipts of less than 30 euros. Currently, every bill, no matter how small, must be handed to the customer, who must keep it until they have left the restaurant.

According to Egger, there should also be a "simplification of individual bureaucratic hurdles". And the problem of finding successors for the pubs is also to be tackled by relaxing the requirements.

"Working in old age"
Egger also reiterated the tax exemption for overtime demanded by the ÖVP, which is also important in tourism. "Working in old age" after reaching the standard retirement age should also be made easier. "All those who want to work more or work longer have one thing in common: they do so when it pays off financially," said the Wirtschaftsbund Secretary General.

All those who want to work more or work longer have one thing in common: they do so when it pays off financially.

Kurt Egger (ÖVP), Generalsekretär des Wirtschaftsbundes

Easier job access for foreigners
There should also be simplifications for workers from abroad, who make up the majority in the tourism industry. "An employee who applies for a job in Austria today from a third country must know within a very short time whether they have a chance of getting the job," demanded State Secretary for Tourism Susanne Kraus-Winkler (ÖVP).

Red-White-Red Card: ÖVP wants maximum processing time of 72 hours
There should be a maximum processing time of 72 hours, otherwise these people would be lost to other countries.

There should be a "low-threshold red-white-red card" for workers from the Western Balkan states. However, seasonal employment should only be opened up to third-country nationals "if it can be proven that there are no local workers available", said Kraus-Winkler.