Shortly before peak season

How Dürnstein is arming itself against mass tourism

Year after year, countless visitors "storm" the small town of Dürnstein in the Wachau. Now the flow of visitors is to be stemmed. 

They are both a curse and a blessing: the masses of tourists in the small, picturesque town of Dürnstein in the Wachau. Every year, tens of thousands of people make a pilgrimage to the popular tourist community on the Danube - especially in the upcoming summer season, the town is literally "overrun" by guests. Above all, the tourists are staying in the middle of the old town, between the town gate and the town hall, explains Mayor Johann Riesenhuber. Up to 12,000 guests a day visit the town center during the high season.

In order to better distribute these streams of visitors, the municipality has worked out measures together with the state and Donau Niederösterreich Tourismus over the last two years, some of which have already been implemented.

The narrow streets in the historic old town are not designed for masses of visitors. Around 57,000 overnight stays were recorded last year. Every second guest comes from abroad.(Bild: Huber Patrick)

Cycle tourists enjoy the view from the other bank of the Danube(Bild: Stefan Fuertbauer)

Mayor Johann Riesenhuber (left), Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Chairman Andreas Nunzer and Managing Director Bernhard Schröder informed about measures to reduce the number of visitors to Dürnstein.(Bild: Barbara Elser)

Measures to provide relief
The largest parking lot in Dürnstein has been restructured and redesigned so that visitors can spend more time directly on the banks of the Danube instead of in the town center. In addition, fewer cruise ships are now docking directly in Dürnstein, instead increasingly heading for Krems, Melk or Ybbs. As of this year, tourists who prefer to pedal have the choice between two routes on the Danube cycle path - not only through the old town as usual, but also on the Treppelweg along the Danube.

There needs to be a balance between the needs of the population, our guests, nature and our traditions.

Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Landeshauptfrau

In addition, the so-called "Top Tours" - five suggested routes for walks - are intended to better distribute the flow of visitors. This will not only relieve the local infrastructure, but also the local residents who suffer from the mass influx of tourists.