Business travellers heading to Belgium this spring will notice an immediate change on their invoices: as of 1 March 2026 the federal government has increased the value-added-tax (VAT) rate on accommodation from 6 % to 12 %. The measure, embedded in a wider programme-law package adopted late last year, applies to hotels, serviced apartments, B&Bs, youth hostels, holiday parks and campsites across the country. The finance ministry argues the hike brings Belgium into line with neighbouring markets and will raise roughly €240 million a year for the treasury. Industry associations, however, warn that the timing—just ahead of the peak conference and trade-fair season in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent—will place additional cost pressure on companies already grappling with higher air fares and rail tickets. A study by consultancy Grayling estimates that a three-night mid-week stay in the capital for an average delegate will rise by €22, excluding knock-on increases in tourist taxes and breakfast packages.
![Belgium doubles VAT on hotel and campsite stays from 1 March 2026]()
For executives needing a seamless travel experience in spite of the new costs, VisaHQ can help by expediting Belgian visa applications, advising on local compliance requirements and flagging fiscal updates such as the accommodation VAT shift; see https://www.visahq.com/belgium/ for details.
Conference organisers fear the move could erode Belgium’s competitiveness in the lucrative meetings-and-events (MICE) segment. The country attracts more than 2 million business visitors per year, thanks largely to EU institutions and the headquarters of multinational corporations. Event-management firms are advising clients to lock in pre-paid room blocks signed before 1 March, which can still benefit from the old 6 % rate provided the stay takes place before 30 June 2026. From a compliance perspective, corporates with self-booking tools and expense-management systems must update VAT-coding to ensure reclaim accuracy. Belgian firms that reimburse employees on a per-diem basis may need to revisit rates, while foreign entities registered for VAT in Belgium should review whether the higher input tax can still be offset against local sales. Although the government postponed parallel VAT increases on culture, sports and takeaway meals after a critical opinion from the Council of State, officials insist the accommodation hike is irreversible. Hoteliers say they now look to regional tourism agencies for marketing support to maintain booking volumes, while travel-procurement teams weigh the merits of shifting overnight stays to nearby Lille, Maastricht or Aachen—all within one hour’s rail journey of Brussels but still charging lower VAT on rooms.
For executives needing a seamless travel experience in spite of the new costs, VisaHQ can help by expediting Belgian visa applications, advising on local compliance requirements and flagging fiscal updates such as the accommodation VAT shift; see https://www.visahq.com/belgium/ for details.
Conference organisers fear the move could erode Belgium’s competitiveness in the lucrative meetings-and-events (MICE) segment. The country attracts more than 2 million business visitors per year, thanks largely to EU institutions and the headquarters of multinational corporations. Event-management firms are advising clients to lock in pre-paid room blocks signed before 1 March, which can still benefit from the old 6 % rate provided the stay takes place before 30 June 2026. From a compliance perspective, corporates with self-booking tools and expense-management systems must update VAT-coding to ensure reclaim accuracy. Belgian firms that reimburse employees on a per-diem basis may need to revisit rates, while foreign entities registered for VAT in Belgium should review whether the higher input tax can still be offset against local sales. Although the government postponed parallel VAT increases on culture, sports and takeaway meals after a critical opinion from the Council of State, officials insist the accommodation hike is irreversible. Hoteliers say they now look to regional tourism agencies for marketing support to maintain booking volumes, while travel-procurement teams weigh the merits of shifting overnight stays to nearby Lille, Maastricht or Aachen—all within one hour’s rail journey of Brussels but still charging lower VAT on rooms.
