Wiesn cashes in: Munich earns 100,000 euros from influencers

TVS News KI redaktionell betreut präsentiert Wiesn kassiert ab: München verdient 100.000 Euro an Influencern.

Anyone earning money from posts at this year's Oktoberfest is now paying the city of Munich for the first time – and the coffers are delighted. More than 100,000 euros in licensing fees have already piled up.

According to the city of Munich, around 450 such licenses have now been issued. The regulation has been in force since this year and targets creators who make direct money from their Wiesn content – through ad deals, sponsored posts or collaborations with brands.

What the licensing requirement means in practice

While private visitors filming themselves can continue sharing selfies and clips without interference, commercially active influencers must now obtain an official permit. The city is drawing consequences from a development that has noticeably changed Oktoberfest in recent years: large-scale commercial shoots, professional photo sessions and brand collaborations have increasingly turned the Wiesn into a marketing stage – not always to the delight of ordinary festival-goers.

A new revenue stream for the city's coffers

The figure of 450 licenses issued during an ongoing Wiesn season shows just how big the business with Oktoberfest content has become. Even at a comparatively modest fee, it quickly adds up to a six-figure sum – and the trend is still rising, since licenses continue to be issued even after the official opening.

For Munich, the influencer license is thus a double coup: additional revenue for the city coffers and a clear signal to everyone who had previously used Oktoberfest as a free advertising platform.