Munich in Oktoberfest fever: Scharpf is planning a future-oriented Oktoberfest!

Munich in Oktoberfest fever: Scharpf is planning a future-oriented Oktoberfest!

Munich, the vibrant capital of Bavaria, is ready for the largest folk festival in the world - Oktoberfest. Christian Scharpf, the consultant for work and economics in Munich, is not only a big fan of this unique event, but also an experienced musician at the Oidn Wiesn. “The Oktoberfest is a real economic engine for us here in Munich,” emphasizes Scharpf, pointing to the impressive figures that the Oktoberfest brings with it. Loud World The festival generated an economic value of 1.49 billion euros in 2023 and attracted numerous visitors to the city.

Last year, the organizers counted around 7.2 million visitors who spent a total of around 618 million euros on the festival site. A further 559 million euros were spent on overnight stays and catering in Munich. This means that Oktoberfest is not only fun, but also good business for the Munich economy - and two thirds of the visitors come directly from Munich and Bavaria.

A strong economic foundation

Munich is characterized by a diversified economic structure that includes DAX companies, numerous high-tech companies and a strong medium-sized sector. Scharpf emphasizes that the city recorded over 200 new companies founded last year, a sign of the prosperous economic climate. Even OpenAI now has a headquarters in Munich, which further strengthens the location in-muenchen.de.

Particular attention is paid to the automotive industry, which has around 100,000 employees subject to social security contributions in Munich. “The IAA is important to us and we want to keep it in the city after 2025,” adds Scharpf, and is optimistic about a possible Olympic bid for 2040. The media is reporting positive feedback in surveys.

Actively combating social challenges

But it's not just the income that seems to be record-breaking, the expenses are also enormous due to challenges in school and housing construction in the city. Despite record revenues, Munich faces major spending problems. Scharpf is aware of these challenges and is committed to a business-friendly climate - a must to secure prosperity and preserve the social structure. “We must not forget that new top earners can also have an impact on the community,” said the former mayor of Ingolstadt.

You also have to be careful at Oktoberfest: Beer prices have risen by 50% since 2014 and will be between 13.60 and 15.30 euros per pint in 2024. Consumer protection studies have shown that some jugs are not always filled to the calibration mark. In 2023, 887 “beer corpses” were counted – a term for visitors who needed help due to alcohol consumption.

With a variety of dishes, including almost 400,000 grilled chickens and 145,000 vegetarian and vegan dishes, Oktoberfest is also a culinary experience. Mayor Dieter Reiter will traditionally tap the first beer keg in the Schottenhamel festival tent and last year he only needed two taps, as he said World reported.

The Munich economy is robust and adaptable. Whether at the IAA or Oktoberfest – one thing is clear: Munich remains a magnet for companies and visitors from all over the world.