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NEW BUNDESTAG: FOCUS ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR TOURISM

Tourism provides jobs for 2.9 million people in Germany. That’s seven percent of the total workforce. Tourism pol- icy spokespersons representing all parliamentary parties agree that the new Bundestag has to accord greater signifcance to tourism policy so that the industry can more efectively exploit the available opportunities.

Trade tax add-backs are a policy issue Tourism policy spokesper- sons of the parliamentary Gabriele Hiller-Ohm (SPD), Kerstin Kassner (Die Linke), (CDU/CSU) and groups in the Bundestag (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) agreed on many if the issues discussed at the policyLOUNGE debate hosted by TUI Group and the German Travel Association (DRV) on Gabriele Hiller-Ohm, MP: 30 May 2017. They all view the trade tax add-backs on tour operators’ hotel accommo- “Nobody had even considered the possibility that the revenue authorities dation rental activities as a regulatory policy blunder. The damage caused is massive and would introduce trade tax add-backs”. some small and medium-sized tour operators fear it will ruin their businesses.

Kerstin Kassner, MP: “Greece is an example of how tourism Cancel the aviation tax or invest it in sustainable mobility contributes to European stability”. Aviation tax is an even more controversial issue. Daniela Ludwig believes it distorts Daniela Ludwig, MP: competition at the expense of German airlines and should therefore be abolished. Her “The aviation tax is a German tax. It distorts competition. We need an colleagues from the other parliamentary groups also pointed out that the tax lacks any international solution”. steering efect and suggested investing the revenue in protecting the environment or

Markus Tressel, MP: using it to fund research into “green aviation”. “We need more people involved in tourism policy for the German govern- More ressources for tourism policy ment”. Besides these specifc policy issues, the discussion also covered structural aspects of German tourism policy. The German MPs unanimously agreed that the following steps will be necessary in the post-election legislative period:

• Strengthening the role of the Tourism Committee: The Committee should have overall control on key tourism issues such as the EU Package Travel Directive. Up to now, MPs have only played an advisory role and specialist expertise has remained unused.

• Additional human resources for the BMWi: Although the Federal Ministry for Economic Afairs has around 1,500 employees, only nine of them are involved in tourism policymak- ing; a number that in no way represents the importance of the industry.

The politicians would like to collaborate to a greater extent with the travel industry and they believe there should also be more coordination within the industry itself. If the travel companies and associations coordinate their eforts they can work far more efectively. bit.ly/tourismuspolitik The TUI Group agrees and intends to extend activities in this respect.

policyAGENDA June 2017 issue 2