The Belgian federal government has hit pause on proposals to raise the VAT rate on popular-music concert tickets from 6 percent to 12 percent, IQ Magazine reported on 19 February 2026. The climb-down follows lobbying from live-events organisers who warned that higher taxes would deter international acts from choosing Antwerp or Brussels and drive corporate incentive travel to neighbouring countries.
Although the draft hike targeted entertainment rather than passenger services, mobility stakeholders welcomed the decision. Conferences and client-entertainment budgets are often bundled with travel and accommodation; a steeper ticket VAT would have increased total trip costs for visiting delegates, complicating per-diem calculations and potentially breaching internal expense caps.
![Belgium Shelves Plan to Double VAT on Concert Tickets, Easing Cost Concerns for Business Events]()
For organisers who still need to bring in artists, crew members, or conference delegates from abroad, VisaHQ can smooth the journey. The company’s Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lets travellers check entry requirements, complete visa forms online, and receive personalised assistance—helping event planners avoid last-minute document hurdles while they navigate shifting VAT and accommodation costs.
The pause does not affect the separate VAT increase on hotel stays taking effect 1 March 2026, which rises to 12 percent. Travel managers should therefore expect mixed pricing signals: accommodation bills will go up, but event tickets may stay flat for now. The finance ministry said it will revisit the entertainment VAT after a “comprehensive impact study” later this year.
Industry groups argue that Belgium risks losing out to the Netherlands and Germany, where cultural-event VAT is already higher but offset by larger arenas and stronger transport links. Maintaining the 6 percent rate, they say, preserves Belgium’s competitive edge as a mid-size meetings-and-events destination at the heart of Europe.
Although the draft hike targeted entertainment rather than passenger services, mobility stakeholders welcomed the decision. Conferences and client-entertainment budgets are often bundled with travel and accommodation; a steeper ticket VAT would have increased total trip costs for visiting delegates, complicating per-diem calculations and potentially breaching internal expense caps.
For organisers who still need to bring in artists, crew members, or conference delegates from abroad, VisaHQ can smooth the journey. The company’s Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) lets travellers check entry requirements, complete visa forms online, and receive personalised assistance—helping event planners avoid last-minute document hurdles while they navigate shifting VAT and accommodation costs.
The pause does not affect the separate VAT increase on hotel stays taking effect 1 March 2026, which rises to 12 percent. Travel managers should therefore expect mixed pricing signals: accommodation bills will go up, but event tickets may stay flat for now. The finance ministry said it will revisit the entertainment VAT after a “comprehensive impact study” later this year.
Industry groups argue that Belgium risks losing out to the Netherlands and Germany, where cultural-event VAT is already higher but offset by larger arenas and stronger transport links. Maintaining the 6 percent rate, they say, preserves Belgium’s competitive edge as a mid-size meetings-and-events destination at the heart of Europe.
