First meetings

Locals remain die-hard GTI fans

GTI fans gave a small sign of life on May 1st. However, these are not holidaymakers, but Carinthians who do not want to give up the popular meeting quite yet. While some are trying to preserve a touch of the old glory with tuned cars, cyclists are now enjoying the peace and quiet by the lakes.

The expected rush of PS fans has failed to materialize so far this year. Only a handful of GTI drivers have found their way to Lake Faak and Lake Wörthersee over the long weekend. "We had a few locals with us on May 1st who came with their vehicles," explains Johann Pressinger from Camping Arneitz am Faaker See. "But there weren't many. And everything remained very quiet," adds Waltraud Dullingg, spokesperson for the Carinthian police.

But the tuning fans are on the radar. After all, some GTI fans could come to Carinthia around Ascension Day - the actual date of the now-canceled official meeting. "We have that on our radar. But it's unlikely to be many," said Dullnigg in an interview with the "Kärntner Krone" newspaper. And that would be another punch in the gut for the local accommodation providers, who are heavily criticizing the closure. There was a huge outcry when the end of the legendary GTI meeting was announced last year (we reported). Not only among car fans, but also among local accommodation providers.

There weren't many car fans on May 1st. Everything remained calm. We are prepared for the coming weeks.

Waltraud Dullingg, Pressesprecherin der Kärntner Polizei

Bike festival instead of PS cars
The bike lobby would like to offer a somewhat unusual alternative to the tuning fans. The interest group is organizing a rally on two wheels around Lake Wörthersee on 11 May, when the GTI meeting would normally have reached its climax. "There will be a bike blessing and lots of events. The region around Lake Wörthersee has the best conditions for a cycling holiday destination due to the mild climate. We want to attract vacation guests with this event," says Gerald Schumer from the cycling lobby. But the crowds that would have come for the GTI meeting are unlikely to do so