ÖW boss in conversation

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(Bild: krone.tv)

"Nobody wants to miss out on traveling, because it has to do with emotion and lifestyle," says Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger, head of Austrian advertising. In the krone.tv talk, she explains how Austria presents itself to the outside world and what special features we can come up with in the future.

Especially in recent years, after the pandemic, the theme of nature and "being outdoors" has proven itself even more, explains Steharnig-Staudinger. "Our local markets appreciate us for our coziness, and Austria generally stands for culinary delights and enjoyment as well as sporting activities on an advertising level."

The fact that other vacation destinations, such as Mallorca or Italy, now have temperatures of up to 40 degrees in summer ultimately benefits Austria. "The Alps in particular will also benefit from this. Some people even come to us because it rains - from the Arab world, for example."

(Bild: krone.tv)

Acceptance by the population is important
Although tourism contributes a great deal to Austria's gross domestic product, there are also a few places that can no longer cope with the mass influx. Hallstatt, the picturesque village in the Salzkammergut, attracts up to 10,000 visitors a day. There are repeated discussions about how to stem this influx. According to Steharnig-Staudinger, it is highly relevant how the population is involved. For four years, Österreich Werbung has therefore been measuring the acceptance of tourism among the population in order to support regions. "We have initiated a data base where we can direct guest flows in order to relieve the burden on regions. In general, however, tourism acceptance is high compared to other countries. "But we are still a long way from mass tourism."

One trend that is emerging and that the Austrian National Tourist Office would like to intensify is sustainable travel. Austria is the third most sustainable vacation destination in the world. "A lot has already happened here," says the Head of Austrian National Tourist Office. For many people, sustainability also means regionality, and Austria has a lot to offer here. "We just need to spread the message more."