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From /apa, July 28, 2024, 7:00 p.m.
Image: (Volker Weihbold)
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Image: (Volker Weihbold)
VIENNA. Domestic summer tourism is not yet in full swing, businesses are hoping for short-term bookings in August, according to the Secretary of State for Tourism.
Summer tourism in Austria is not yet in full swing this year. “There is no real uniform mood – basically, June was weaker than last year for everyone, with a few exceptions,” said State Secretary for Tourism Susanne Kraus-Winkler (ÖVP). However, the traditionally busiest month of the season, August, is yet to come. People are saving and many are using their existing travel budget for a vacation by the sea.
Since mid-July, there has been no dissatisfaction in domestic accommodation providers, but the industry is feeling that people are saving and consuming less, says Kraus-Winkler. “And let’s not forget the cheap flights – there is a tendency to fly to the Mediterranean.” Turkey and Greece are very popular destinations again this year. In general, Austrians tend to go to the seaside in June and July, and in August they prefer to vacation in their own country. According to the tourism expert, domestic hotels, guest houses and vacation apartments are also expecting “a good booking situation” for September and October.
Image: (APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)
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Image: (APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)
Generation Z travels more often and for shorter periods of time. “The 18- to 25-year-olds have the shortest travel times, the baby boomers the longest,” says Kraus-Winkler. “The classic two-week summer vacation is dying out.”
According to Kraus-Winkler, July went well for accommodation providers in Styria. “August and September still have room for improvement,” she added. They are hoping for short-term bookings.
In Carinthia, on the other hand, the picture is mixed: “Where there are big events like Rammstein in Klagenfurt, the businesses are fully booked – around the lakes it is a bit challenging,” reported Kraus-Winkler. The state has some good businesses, but also “some that need to catch up and where the product positioning needs to be repositioned.”
Cities: Guests from Asia are still missing
The absence of Asians is still noticeable in city tourism. “The Chinese and the Japanese are not back yet,” said Kraus-Winkler. “It has become more expensive for the Japanese to come to Europe,” she said, referring to the development of the exchange rate of the yen against the euro. Flights have also become more expensive and take longer – because of the different routes as a result of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Some budget airlines have already withdrawn from China. “Only the normal large carriers are flying and at higher prices because kerosene has become more expensive and they are flying longer.”
A change in demand can be seen in terms of hotel categories. According to the Secretary of State, three-star hotels are generally under a bit of pressure. “Guests with less money go to holiday apartments, those with more money go to four-star hotels.”
This May, the number of overnight stays in four and five star hotels increased by almost 15 percent year-on-year, in one and two star hotels by a good 12 percent, and in three star hotels by only around 6 percent. However, bookings for holiday apartments increased by almost 34 percent. “June will show the same picture,” says Kraus-Winkler, expecting the overnight stay figures from Statistics Austria for the past month, which are not yet available.
Highest growth rates in camping
“The topic of camping is also interesting – that’s where we have the highest growth rates,” said Kraus-Winkler. And here too there are changes in demand. “It’s more the middle class that’s coming,” the State Secretary noted. There are more and more operators who focus on club experiences, nature experiences or families. “The topic of camping is extremely en vogue,” said Kraus-Winkler. Many campsites in Austria are also in great places, for example right by the lake.
So-called “tiny houses” with a maximum net area of 50 square meters are becoming increasingly popular. “The wooden containers stand on a base, are like small chalets and enable operators to create more added value,” explained Kraus-Winkler. “There are new target groups who don’t want to spend hours driving around Europe with their trailer and who want more luxury.” In terms of spatial planning, a tiny house is not a building, but in terms of taxation it is. The proportion of tiny houses allowed varies from state to state – in Upper Austria, for example, the limit is 20 percent of the pitches on a campsite.
“The form of accommodation is certainly an issue that we have to deal with in order to remain fit for the future,” emphasised the State Secretary. The tourism policy of the future will look different than it did ten years ago. “Back then, we were only looking to get more tourists.” Now the focus is on issues such as visitor management, quality management and tourism acceptance.
“Regulate Airbnb and short-term rentals”
Referring to overtourism in Barcelona, Mallorca or Venice, for example, Kraus-Winkler spoke out clearly in favour of regulating short-term rentals à la Airbnb. “If they take away too much living space, it disrupts the infrastructure – for example, where and how many kindergartens and supermarkets are needed; in this way they undermine spatial planning and we end up with a situation like in Spain. In Mallorca, many families can no longer afford an apartment. The impoverishment of the population is a problem in such a context.
“If they let it run uncontrolled, it will disrupt the system.” In Vienna, there are around 10,000 apartments with two to four beds each on short-term rental platforms. “It hasn’t tipped over here yet.” But it needs to be counteracted.
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