German-Polish excursion planner and initiative for the retention of the 7 percent VAT on food in restaurants

The border river Oder is a special and connecting element between our travel region of Lakeland Oder-Spree on the German side and the Lubuskie Voivodeship on the Polish side. Since 2019, cross-border projects have been worked on with the Lubuskie Voivodeship through the INTERREG project "Odra Velo". The focus of the German-Polish cooperation was the expansion of the tourism topics of cycling and digitalization. The results of the cooperation on the Polish side include: the development of a cycle path concept. The Oder-Spree Lake District is the only travel region in Brandenburg and the new federal states to be once again certified as a cycling travel region by the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC). Another result of the cross-border project was a German-Polish publication. In the handy brochure, which comprises almost 100 pages, guests and locals alike are presented with detailed descriptions and attractive illustrations of 13 cycling tours, 6 hikes, 2 canoe tours and, as a special highlight, 6 bridge tours. Just in time for the start of the active autumn season, we are now going public and were able to successfully distribute the first copies at Brandenburg Day in Finsterwalde. “We know that the German-Polish border region has great tourism potential. We believe that crossing a border river and exploring two European countries during a day trip has a special appeal for many people. We are pleased to be able to provide inspiration with this brochure,” said the chairman of Seenland Oder-Spree eV Rainer Schinkel. The booklet was produced in both German and Polish and is available in all tourist information offices in the Oder-Spree Lake District as well as in tourist-relevant facilities in the Lubusz Voivodeship. If you prefer paperless tours, you can of course also find all recommended tours digitally on the website: www.seenland-oderspree.de/ausflugsplaner and on Komoot. In the next few weeks, the federal government will have to make a decision that will be crucial for restaurants, pubs and cafés. Specifically, it is about maintaining the 7% VAT on food. The current regulation is currently valid until 31. December 2023. Now it is again important to work together to successfully convey the good arguments to political decision-makers. That is why the DEHOGA Federal Association has launched the petition “No tax increase: 7% VAT on food in restaurants must remain!” We, as the Seenland Oder-Spree Tourism Association, want to support this. We hope that culinary diversity and fresh regional cuisine will have a future in our water-rich and popular travel region and that guests and locals alike will continue to find opportunities for social refreshment during their cycling tours and hikes. To support the petition and to increase public awareness and awareness, we have produced posters and 10.000 beer mats, which will soon be available in the catering establishments in the travel region and will call for participation in the petition. Numerous Frankfurt restaurateurs welcomed the support from the tourism association and expressed their concern about their uncertain future prospects at a press conference on Tuesday. “We demand that the reduced VAT rate for food in restaurants, which has long been common practice in other EU countries, remains in place here too, so that the already heavily burdened industry can finally relax and look forward.