Trends & bookings

The desire to travel has already awakened in this country

Lower Austrians are increasingly drawn to faraway countries: in addition to Thailand, Vietnam and Iceland, cruises are also very popular this year.(Bild: GP MEDIAVISION Zwerger-Schoner OG / Austria)

Domestic travel agencies are already registering bookings up to Christmas. In addition to long-distance travel, cruises and cooler climes such as Norway and Iceland are also scoring highly.

As we all know, people are used to endless expanses in the wide open spaces. It is therefore not surprising that Lower Austrians are increasingly drawn to faraway places on vacation. Sabine Riedl, head of the travel agency at the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce, knows that many people in this country do not want to miss out on a vacation despite rising prices. As medium-haul flights are comparatively expensive, destinations such as Vietnam, Bali and Thailand are currently booming. "The trend towards long-term travel, which has been noticeable since coronavirus, is continuing. Long-haul travel and scheduled flights will not become cheaper if you wait, but only more expensive," explains the expert.

(Bild: EPA)

(Bild: AFP/AFP or licensors)

A new trend towards cooling off can increasingly be observed in summer bookings: "The north is also popular, especially among holidaymakers who want to escape the summer heat. Iceland and Norway are particularly popular here," says Riedl. But cruises are also very popular, especially with families - due to the low prices for children. Package tours and classic destinations such as Greece, Spain, Italy and Croatia also continue to enjoy great popularity.

With the start of the Christmas vacations, a lot of bookings have already been made for the new year. The trend towards long-term travel is continuing.

Sabine Riedl, Reisebüro-Obfrau der WKNÖ

Bild: Michaela Habinger

Advice from experts is once again in particularly high demand among travelers. This is because they help with planning and are available in an emergency. "We can't complain about a lack of work at the moment," explains Riedl. In addition to summer and fall, bookings are already being made up until Christmas.

Skills shortage is noticeable
However, this also presents the industry with staffing challenges: It is becoming increasingly difficult for the 240 or so domestic travel agencies to find suitable employees and apprentices.

A tip from the travel professional: take a vacation on a houseboat, or head for small Greek islands such as Lesbos or Lemnos, as there are direct flights here too, advises Riedl. And above all, book early!