Tourism 2027: more expensive Vienna, new rules in Greece and the growth of dynamic packaging
The planning of the 2027 season in European tourism will no longer depend solely on demand and hotel prices. Changes in Vienna, Greece, and Bulgaria show that local fees, capacity regulations, and new distribution models will increasingly influence tourist packages.
For tourism agencies, this means that contracting for 2027 will require a little more attention than in previous years.
From July 2027, Vienna will raise the accommodation tax to 8 percent
Vienna already increased the local accommodation tax from 3.2 to 5 percent of the relevant accommodation price on July 1, 2026. The next step comes on July 1, 2027, when the rate rises to 8 percent. The city confirmed again at the end of September that it is not abandoning the planned increase.
The change will be particularly noticeable for more expensive hotels and city-break packages. For agencies that pre-book prices for summer, autumn or Advent 2027, this means that the new cost should be factored into calculations early enough.
Vienna is not showing any signs of a decline in interest. From January to August 2026, the number of overnight stays increased by four percent, while the revenue from overnight stays was two percent higher than a year earlier.
Greece regulates where tourism can expand further
On August 7th, Greece introduced a new national spatial framework for tourism. Destinations are classified according to the intensity of tourism development, and islands are grouped into specific categories. The type of permitted investments, the minimum requirements for new hotels, the maximum number of beds, and the rules for protecting coastal areas depend on this classification.
For tour operators The consequences will not be immediate, but they are important in the long term. A more robust development in tourism-intensive areas could slow down capacity growth and further increase the value of existing hotel contracts. This is particularly relevant on the Greek islands, where the availability of accommodation is already one of the main elements of contracting during the peak season.
Bulgaria is testing a different growth model
While Greece While limiting part of the development, Bulgaria is actively trying to increase organized travel. In the Polish market, the share of organized travel has increased from 5.5 to 6.9 percent, while Dynamic packaging reached 7,5%. The tourism ministry is already working with partners on new products for the 2027 season.
The additional signal came at the end of September. Bulgaria and TUI signed a three-year memorandum to double the number of TUI guests in the country to 400,000 per year by 2030 and to extend the season.
The message for agencies is quite clear: 2027 will not only bring new prices. Destinations are increasingly managing capacities, costs, and distribution, so flexibility in contracting and package arrangement will be of greater value.
