– We are already heavily taxed and it would be very heavy to get additional tax, says Visita’s business policy manager Anna Wallén.
She states that many companies in the hospitality industry have already been hit hard by cost increases and increased employer contributions.
Tourist tax
More than twice as much water is used in Borgholm in July: “The waterworks can’t keep up”
This is how the residents of Borgholm feel about introducing a tourist tax
Wallén does not believe that, for example, a fee per person and hotel night of ten kroner could be introduced without the number of visitors decreasing.
– We have seen that when you interviewed tourists that you would choose certain places, says Wallén.
Common in tourist countries
SVT has asked the chairman and deputy chairman of the municipal board in 30 municipalities with many guest nights if they want a tourist tax to be allowed in their municipality. In eleven of the municipalities, one or both politicians answer yes. Eight of the municipalities did not respond at all.
In many tourist countries, it is common to have local tourist taxes, which are usually charged per hotel night. At Visita, people are concerned that this discussion will gain momentum in Sweden.
– I think you should be very careful about raising this discussion, says Wallén.
– The hospitality industry in Sweden contributes to a lot of job opportunities in places in the countryside.
She also points out that there are very few places in Sweden that are affected by mass tourism, even if the pressure can be severe in some places during a short period of the year.
A: Interesting question
The question of allowing municipal tourist taxes has been raised in the Riksdag before. In a motion from 2022, former Rural Affairs Minister Anna-Caren Sätherberg (S) proposed, for example, an overnight stay fee of SEK 10–30.
The Social Democrats’ economic policy spokesperson Mikael Damberg thinks the issue is interesting and states that it may be discussed at the party’s next congress.
– Obviously, there is a discussion in Turistsverige, he says.
The Green Party’s rural policy spokesperson Emma Nohrén thinks that a tax could be an interesting proposal.
The Left Party wants to see an investigation into the possibility of levying local bed fees.
The center’s business policy spokesperson Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist states that her party wants to make it possible for municipalities to make their own decisions about if companies in the hospitality industry should impose a tourist tax, the proceeds of which should go to strengthen the hospitality industry locally.
Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson (M) refrains from commenting on the issue.