Tourism offensive

How Lower Austria is to become a vacation destination

The dirndl blossom attracts many guests to the Pielach Valley, which should also benefit from the tourism packages.

(Bild: Dostal Harald)

This year, the region around St. Pölten is to benefit from targeted offers, followed by the entire province the following year. To this end, tourist packages are being put together and an appetite for the cultural opportunities is being created.

"This year should whet the appetite for more," said Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner on Thursday evening at Museum NÖ. In 2024, St. Pölten wants to provide a foretaste of what is to be served up in terms of tourism throughout Lower Austria in the coming years. "We want to extend the length of guests' stay and not just be a destination for excursions. Lower Austria should become a vacation destination," emphasizes Mikl-Leitner.

The Capital of Culture year 2024 offers the perfect opportunity to ignite the turbo. The city of St. Pölten and the state are investing 30 million euros in projects such as the KinderKunstLabor or the renovation of the former synagogue. The route is clear: the aim is to sharpen the cultural profile of the provincial capital and its surrounding area and thus exploit its tourism potential.

Cornelia Janker, Johanna Mikl-Leitner and Matthias Stadler presented the tourism offensive.

(Bild: NLK Pfeiffer)

"We want to achieve a 40 percent increase in cultural visitors and thus record around 300,000 guests," said the Governor, setting a clear target. This is to be achieved through numerous innovations such as the Museumscard, which allows visitors to visit the former synagogue, the KinderKunstLabor, the Museum am Dom, the Museum NÖ and the Stadtmuseum in St. Pölten once each for 18 euros.

From monasteries to wine tavern culture
There is certainly enough to discover around the provincial capital, although many people don't even know what the region has to offer. "I'm just thinking of the monasteries, the many cycling, mountain biking and hiking opportunities, the wine experiences and wine tavern culture or the many delicacies," says Mikl-Leitner, who also refers to over 1000 cultural events: "With the Tangente Festival, we send a signal for contemporary art and combine tradition and openness to the world."

Locations such as Herzogenburg Abbey are among the cultural excursion destinations.

(Bild: Gabriele Moser )

"One of the most underrated cities"
Mayor Matthias Stadler also speaks of St. Pölten as one of the most underrated cities: "We want to develop not only as an administrative, educational, health and economic center, but also as a cultural and tourism center. We want to keep guests in the region for several days." Because the ingredients are available, packages will now be offered with Mostviertel Tourismus. "The offers range from discovery tours to culinary excursions with overnight stays," says Mikl-Leitner.

The Pielach Valley, for example, which is currently at the start of the dirndl blossom season, should also benefit from this. "The sea of yellow flowers on our 70,000 or so bushes attracts many guests every year," says Cornelia Janker from the Pielachtal Tourism Association.

Info: www.hauptstadtregion.at