After Corona, the Ukraine war caused a wave of cancellations in the industry. The economy warns of a domino effect in city tourism.
After international bookings were recorded once more in the first few weeks of the year, everything is different now. “Journeys are canceled or rebooked in the long term. New bookings are currently not being made at all,” says Gregor Kadanka, chairman of the travel agency group in the Vienna Chamber of Commerce. The reason: “War is raging for guests from the USA, South America, Canada, Asia and Australia in Europe”. They perceive the distances from Vienna to the Ukraine as very small, are insecure and frightened.
“Safe” countries outside of Europe
For group trips, the focus is increasingly on trips in their own country or the travelers choose “safe” destinations – away from Europe. However, Vienna offices are particularly dependent on guests from distant markets, while other federal states are increasingly serving demand from domestic and local markets. “If groups, individual and business travelers stop coming, this also has a negative multiplier effect on the economic situation of hotels, restaurants, tour guides and many other companies,” warns Kadanka.
The upswing that was so urgently needed following the pandemic and that had already begun to emerge is therefore still missing. Kadanka is now demanding that short-time work be extended until autumn/winter and that financial aid measures for the tourism industry be extended.