« We want to get away from the season logic » – Diepresse.com
Austria’s tourism has changed a lot. Only 26 percent of the overnight stays are still in July and August. The conversion to all -year destination has many advantages – but a disadvantage.
While some, due to children and family constellations, only manage to go on vacation in the main travel times, others benefit from the irrelevant seasons with fewer tourists and mostly cheaper prices. What cities can long, namely being a year -round destination, has gradually expanded to other regions in Austria – where it is possible.
In the 1970s, around 50 percent of Austrian tourism accounted for the months of July and August. Today the value is around 26 percent during the midsummer. Not least because winter tourism has expanded vigorously over the past 50 years and thus also shifted the weighting. In 1974 the value for the winter was still 18 percent, today 31 percent of the months of January, February, March. The rest are the so -called irrelevant seasons in spring and autumn. However, according to the head of Austria, advertising (ÖW) Astrid Stharnig-Staudinger applies in general: « We want to get away from the season logic. »
Better predictability
Austria advertising and the new State Secretary for Tourism, Elisabeth Zehetner, see a lot of advantages: « Especially for the companies, their predictability and the necessary staff, this would be a great relief, » said the State Secretary at a press conference together with the ÖW. Because yes, Austria is a tourism country, and yes, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable staff to do the necessary season jobs. All -year positions would definitely be easier to fill.
« In this regard, we want to specifically contact young women who are already in tourism and are increasingly focusing on childcare and working hours, » said Zehetner. Furthermore, seniors who feel suitable should also get simple access to jobs in tourism. But they are now international specialists that the industry can no longer do without. The new government also promises to make various bureaucratic hurdles for companies slimmer. Is responsible for this Sepp Schellhornwho knows the industry as a former hotelier from scratch. But to present specific measures, the new political team is still too young. However, it is certain for tens: « Tourism is the only industry in Austria that is currently not affected by the recession, that should remain so. »
Guests who love fog
Austria as a year -round destination for international tourists sounds difficult, especially since the weather is not always a major factor. But there are many travelers who appreciate this. « Especially guests from the Arab world love it when it is raining or foggy in summer, for them it is the perfect contrast, » says the ÖW boss from experience. She was only recently in Dubai and, like the past few years, met with lively interest in Austria. The 60th anniversary of “The Sound of Music” is also celebrated this year. This musical, which plays in the mountain scenery in Salzburg, is only known in Austria, but still a box office hit and frequency bearer of international guests worldwide. Additional flight connections to China and Japan should continue to boost growth.
If you still speak of seasons, « around 22.5 million people are planning their summer vacation in Austria this year, » said Stharnig-Staudinger, which is a million more than in the previous year. The number is determined from around 10,000 people surveyed on behalf of the ÖW. The travelers should mainly come from the DA CH region, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Great Britain, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic and spend 157 to 233 euros per person in Austria.
Further record course
In addition to Vienna and Salzburg with culture, culinary delights and the domestic mountains are popular. The popularity of the alpine space is also evident based on the numbers of the past winter season. As the Statistics Austria Revolved, there were around 64 million overnight stays from November 2024 to March 2025. That is 0.7 percent less than in the previous year comparison, but the number of guests increased by 0.7 percent. However, since Easter has fallen into April this year, the final numbers of the past winter season are not yet available. According to statistics Austria, they are still on a « record course ».
According to the ÖW and State Secretary, what is good for Austria as a tourism region is to offer a good price-performance ratio. This is also held up by the guests. The relatively most come from Germany and neighboring countries. In general, the vacations are getting shorter, but more often. Even in economically difficult times, vacation is not dispensed with, which shows data from the statistics Austria as well as surveys of the ÖW.
Less bargains
The only disadvantage of development towards all -year destination for guests is that it becomes narrower for the bargain hunters. The cheap offers between the seasons will become rarer. « The development will lead to a leveling of prices in the medium term, » confirms the State Secretary. The long -term goal is to make domestic tourism economically strong and socially and ecologically compatible. The equalization of the guest flows in individual regions is just as much a part of it as the expansion of the offers between the main seasons.
