Not gaining momentum

Summer bookings still have room for improvement

Summer tourism in Austria is not yet in full swing this year. "There is no real uniform mood - generally speaking, June was weaker than last year for everyone, with a few exceptions," says State Secretary for Tourism Susanne Kraus-Winkler (ÖVP). However, August, traditionally the strongest month of the season in terms of bookings, is yet to come. Savings are being made and many are using the available travel budget for vacations by the sea.

Since mid-July, there has been no overall dissatisfaction in domestic accommodation establishments, but the industry is feeling that people are saving and consuming less, says Kraus-Winkler. "And let's not forget the cheap air travel - there is a tendency to fly to the Mediterranean," the industry expert noted. Turkey and Greece are once again very popular destinations this year. In general, Austrians are more likely to travel to the sea in June and July, while in August they prefer to vacation in their own country. Austrian hotels, guesthouses and vacation apartments are also expecting "a good booking situation" for September and October, according to the tourism expert.

"The classic two-week summer vacation is dying out"
Generation Z is traveling more often and for shorter periods. "The 18 to 25-year-olds have the shortest travel times, the baby boomers the longest," says Kraus-Winkler. "The classic two-week summer vacation is dying out."

Asian tourists are missing
The absence of Asians can still be felt in city tourism. "The Chinese and Japanese are not back yet," says Kraus-Winkler. "It has become more expensive for the Japanese to come to Europe," she said, referring to the yen's exchange rate against the euro. Flights have also become more expensive and take longer - due to the different routing as a result of Russia's war against Ukraine.

Camping is booming
"The topic of camping is also interesting - we have the highest growth rates here," said Kraus-Winkler. And here, too, there are changes in demand. "It's more the middle class that is coming," the State Secretary noted.

This year in May, the number of overnight stays in the four- and five-star segment increased by almost 15 percent year-on-year, in the one- and two-star segment by a good 12 percent and in the three-star segment by only around 6 percent. However, an increase in bookings of almost 34 percent was recorded for vacation apartments.