Advent increasingly important

Industry defies crisis: “Holidays are sacred to people”

Managing Director Michael Feiertag in the Christmas pop-up store of Steiermark Tourismus in the heart of Graz(Bild: Jaden Gynes)

The scare reports from the economy are now coming in by the hour, but one industry is holding its own: Styrian tourism can once again look back on a strong year and is already looking forward to a positive Christmas season.

"Holidays are sacred to people, that's where they save money last," says Tourism Managing Director Michael Feiertag, explaining why his industry is relatively crisis-proof, even though a major slump has been predicted for years. "Restaurants, for example, are feeling the effects more directly."

It's very Christmassy - more and more
The figures speak for themselves: with 14 million overnight stays, Styria Tourism can look back on another record year (November 2023 to October 2024). The Christmas theme is becoming increasingly important, as the pop-up store on Landhausgasse in Graz emphasizes, which is offering Styrian-themed gift ideas until Monday.

White and green goodies in the temporary tourism store in Graz city center(Bild: Steirerkrone)

Special attention was paid this year to guests from Italy, where a noticeable increase was also recorded. The other main markets have been stable for years: Austrians are in first place, followed by Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic and recently increasingly Poland. Guests from the Netherlands and Scandinavia are also traditionally well represented, especially in the Schladming/Dachstein region.

Advent capital Graz
A look at the figures shows that December is becoming increasingly important: This year there will be more than 300,000 guests with more than one million overnight stays, explains Managing Director Feiertag: "The Advent theme is working better than ever before, especially in Graz."

View of the Christmas village on Graz's main square from the town hall balcony(Bild: Jürgen Fuchs)

The ski opening in Schladming was reflected in the media worldwide. In general, it is the major events that should carry the Christmas momentum into next year. In January and February, these are mainly World Cup sporting events with the Alpine and Nordic classics as well as ski cross on the Reiteralm or the Dachstein Run from January 10 to 12.

Tourism is not immune to skills shortages either
Even if his industry is not currently very worried, the shortage of skilled workers is having an impact here too, says Feiertag. He is writing the next federal and state governments on his Christmas wish list: "Professions that deal with people are challenging, but all the more important. We should all make an effort to make these jobs more attractive."