At its meeting on July 16, 2026, the City Council of the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer decided to introduce a lodging tax. The tax will be levied starting January 1, 2027, on paid overnight stays at lodging establishments within the territory of the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer. In the future, overnight guests will contribute 2.00 euros per night per person toward the financing of the infrastructure and amenities they use during their stay.
As a destination for pilgrimages, health tourism, and general tourism, Kevelaer welcomes numerous visitors from Germany and abroad every year. These visitors make use of the city’s streets, squares, green spaces, tourist facilities, and cultural offerings, and contribute significantly to the city’s vibrancy. The maintenance and further development of this infrastructure have so far been financed primarily from general municipal funds.
“The pilgrimage town of Kevelaer has been an important pilgrimage and tourist destination for many decades. With the lodging tax, guests will in the future make an additional contribution toward the diverse responsibilities arising from tourism,” explains Mayor Dr. Dominik Pichler. “The revenue will be allocated to the city budget as a general source of funding, thereby strengthening our ability to act.”
What is a lodging tax?
The lodging tax covers expenses related to the provision of paid lodging that go beyond the basic necessities of housing. Lodging establishments include, in particular:
- Hotels, Inns, and Bed-and-Breakfasts
- Private rooms and apartments, youth hostels, vacation rentals, motels
- Campgrounds and RV parks with separate restroom facilities
Hospitals, preventive care and rehabilitation facilities, hospices, retirement and nursing homes, and similar facilities that provide accommodation for people in special social circumstances are not considered lodging facilities and are therefore not affected.
What will take effect on January 1, 2027?
The lodging tax is 2.00 euros per paid overnight stay per guest. For an uninterrupted stay at the same establishment, the tax is levied for a maximum of 21 days.
The guest is liable for the tax. To ensure the tax is collected, the operators of lodging establishments are designated as the parties responsible for remitting the tax. They collect the lodging tax from guests and remit it to the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer.
Families and youth groups are given a break
At the same time, the Council adopted various exemptions:
- Accommodations that establish residence for the purposes of registration laws are not subject to taxation.
- Individuals who are registered with their primary or secondary residence at the address of the lodging facility are not covered by the bylaws.
- Expenses for lodging for individuals up to and including age 15 are not subject to taxation.
- Individuals who stay overnight as part of school field trips or similar trips organized by private youth welfare organizations, as well as their chaperones, are exempt from the lodging tax.
Overnight stays by business travelers and overnight stays in connection with volunteer work are generally subject to the lodging tax.
Transparent rules and ease of use
The pilgrimage town of Kevelaer has deliberately opted for a fixed fee per overnight stay. This model is easy for guests to understand and involves less administrative work for lodging providers than a percentage-based calculation.
The pilgrimage town believes that the moderate rate of the lodging tax will not detract from Kevelaer’s appeal as a travel destination. Similar regulations are already in place in numerous tourist and spa towns in North Rhine-Westphalia and throughout Germany.
Targeted Efforts to Boost Tourism in Kevelaer
“Our guests appreciate Kevelaer for its special atmosphere, its well-maintained downtown, and its diverse range of tourist and cultural attractions,” explains Daniela Cox, business development officer and director of Kevelaer Marketing. “With the lodging tax, we’re laying the groundwork to maintain and further develop this quality in the future—in the interest of our guests, tourism businesses, and everyone who lives in Kevelaer.”
Information for Businesses and Guests
All lodging establishments in operation at the time these bylaws take effect must register their business with the Tax and Revenue Department of the Pilgrimage Town of Kevelaer no later than January 31, 2027.
The accommodation tax collected must be reported by the 15th day following the end of each calendar quarter using the officially prescribed form or in an approved electronic format. The tax is assessed by a tax assessment notice; it is due within seven days of the notice being issued.
The “Bylaws on the Collection of a Lodging Tax in the Pilgrimage Town of Kevelaer” and a detailed list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) for guests and lodging establishments can be found on this website under the “Local Laws” section .
In the coming weeks, the city administration will send letters to all known lodging establishments to inform them about the lodging tax. All other establishments not known to the city that offer lodging services for a fee are also subject to the lodging tax and are required to register their business with the Tax and Revenue Department of the Pilgrimage Town of Kevelaer by January 31, 2027.
Department 3.2—Taxes and Fees—of the Pilgrimage Town of Kevelaer is available to answer specific questions, particularly from operators of lodging establishments.