According to this decision, the fee for using the city of Munich’s public areas for commercial fairs-primarily the IAA Mobility auto show-will double. The initiative to revise the tariffs was brought forward by the Greens – Pink List faction in the city council.
New Tariffs
According to the adopted resolution, the rent for one square meter of city land per day for the IAA and other commercial exhibitions will rise to 60 cents. The previous rate was 30 cents-exactly half of the amount now in effect.
The increased rate of 60 cents applies only to a few central city districts:
- Altstadt-Lehel
- Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt
- Maxvorstadt
It is here that the city’s most recognizable venues are located-Königsplatz, Odeonsplatz, and adjacent areas, which during the IAA traditionally transform into open exhibition pavilions. In all other areas of the city, the rental rate will be 40 cents per square meter per day.
At the same time, the fee for assembly and disassembly days of exhibition structures has also doubled-now the city treasury will receive 500 euros for each such day instead of the former 250.
Why this decision was adopted
The formal reason for revising the tariffs was a gap in the current city regulations: until now, there was no separate fee item for commercial fairs in public spaces. Therefore, exhibition organizers were charged only the base rate of 30 cents per square meter of territory per day-the same rate that applies to ordinary street events. It is this inconsistency that has long raised questions among representatives of the Greens, primarily in district committees (Bezirksausschüsse).
The IAA auto show, the next edition of which is scheduled for 2027, traditionally occupies not only the pavilions for the business audience in the Riem district, but also the so-called “Open Spaces” in the historical city center.
The previous city council, by a majority vote, confirmed the right of the organizers to maintain this practice in 2027 and in subsequent years of the exhibition, although the Greens – Pink List faction consistently advocated that the IAA focus exclusively on the exhibition complex in Riem.
City Council member from the Greens party Gudrun Lux explained the position that led to the revision of rental rates for exhibitions: “No other exhibition can use public space in such volume solely for promotional purposes. Now this marketing tactic finally has a fairer price tag. This decision is long overdue.”
Faction chairman Sebastian Weisenburger described the situation even more sharply, pointing to the gap between the symbolic fee to the city and the final commercial profit of the organizers. After all, IAA representatives in turn sublease the space rented for stands to exhibition participants at a price of up to 645 euros per square meter-that is, more than a thousand times more expensive than the amount the exhibition itself paid to the city.
The Greens also drew attention to the fact that prior to the tariff revision, small street fruit and vegetable vendors paid the municipality more for space for their stall than an international auto concern paid for a stand in the city center.
Why this is important
The rental rate increase takes effect for all commercial exhibitions placing their facilities on municipal public territories, not just for the IAA. The decision was adopted due to the city budget austerity mode, where the mayor’s office is forced to review the efficiency of virtually all city expense and revenue items. For the auto show, the new conditions mean a tangible increase in costs for organizing open city venues during the next event-even though public space during assembly, operation, and disassembly of the exhibition is virtually inaccessible to residents of surrounding areas.
