Heat often a problem

Thermal spas recorded a slight increase in guests in 2024

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Kzenon)

Austria's thermal spas recorded around 8.6 million guests in 2024, an increase of 1.4 percent compared to 2023. Compared to the record year 2019 - before the coronavirus pandemic - this is a good 900,000 fewer visitors, calculated the market researcher Branchenradar on Friday.

With the exception of Lower Austria and Vienna, more guests were registered everywhere in 2024. The strongest growth was recorded in Tyrol, followed by Upper Austria and Styria.

Of the 38 locations already open in 2019, only ten reached or exceeded the 2019 visitor numbers in the previous year according to the industry radar, three of which were in Styria and Upper Austria, two in Burgenland and one each in Lower Austria and Tyrol. Styria remained the number one thermal spa region.

Heat harmed spas without large outdoor facilities
"The unabated desire to travel among domestic and foreign guests undoubtedly provided growth impetus last year. On the other hand, however, there were long periods of heat in some places, which were particularly detrimental to spas and brine baths without extensive outdoor facilities," said Andreas Kreutzer, head of the industry radar, in a press release.