Austrian Summer Tourism: Total Dependence on Germany
A recent study shows the great dependence of Austrian summer tourism on Germany, especially in the western federal provinces. The situation, which has been further intensified by the corona pandemic, will further increase this certainty.
The western Austrian provinces Vorarlberg and Tyrol are highly dependent on the German market. / Picture: © Tourism Carinthia
Around two thirds of overnight stays in Austria in summer 2019 were accounted for by German and Austrian guests, as Statistics Austria reports.
The share of resident guests in relation to the total of 79 million nights spent in the period from May to October 2019 amounted to 29.5%, guests from Germany accounted for 37.4% and guests from all other countries 33.1%.
In 2019, half (49.3%) of all nights spent in the summer season took place in the main season in July and August, around a quarter each in the pre-season months May and June and the post-season months September and October.
The western Austrian Laender Vorarlberg and Tyrol are highly dependent on the German market.
Western Austria is the engine of the tourism industry
Half of all nights spent in the summer season 2019 (50.7%) took place in the western Austrian Laender Tyrol (28.0%), Salzburg (17.4%) and Vorarlberg (5.3%). While these regions depend to a large extent on German guests (54.8%, 40.9% and 58.4% of all summer overnight stays in 2019 in the respective Austrian Laender), resident tourists dominate in eastern parts of the country such as Burgenland (nights spent share: 73.5%), Lower Austria (62.3%), Styria (60.4%) and also Upper Austria (52.1%). In contrast, in the capital Vienna, 63.1% of all nights spent were due to markets other than Germany and Austria.
In summer 2019, almost three quarters of the 29.5 million nights spent by guests from the most important country of origin, Germany, were in Tyrol (41.1%), Salzburg (19.1%) and Carinthia (12.1%).
The third most important market of origin (after Germany and Austria) – the Netherlands – contributed almost 4 million nights spent to the overall result in the 2019 summer season.
Almost 80% of all nights spent by Dutch guests took place in Tyrol (40.0%), Carinthia (20.3%) and Salzburg (18.0%). Guests from Switzerlandand Liechtenstein particularly liked to spend nights in Tyrol (52.8% of Swiss summer nights spent).
Styria and Carinthia are particularly popular with resident tourists
In summer 2019, resident guests accounted for 23.3 million of the nights spent in Austria. The most popular destination of Austrian residents was Styria, almost one fifth of all nights spent by resident tourists took place in this federal state (19.1%), followed by Carinthia (16.7%), Salzburg (13.8%), Lower Austria (12.6%), Upper Austria (12.0%) and Tyrol (10.0%).
Residents from Vienna spent 5 million nights in Austria in summer 2019, more than half of them in Styria (20.8%), in Lower Austria (18.0%) and Carinthia (16.8%). Guests from Lower Austria mainly preferred their own region (19.8%), followed by Styria (19.2%).
One fifth of the total nights spent (23 million) by resident guests in Austria in summer 2019 came from Vienna (21.5%), followed by Lower Austria (19.9%), Upper Austria (17.1%) and Styria (14.6%). Upper Austrians recorded the highest proportion of summer overnight stays in their own region (38.6% of nights spent in Upper Austria), followed by guests from Vorarlberg (28.3% of nights spent in their own region) and Styrians (24.9%). One third of the nights spent take place in top-class hotels
In summer 2019, about 1.1 million beds in 65 000 accommodation establishments were available for guests in Austria. 27.7 million nights spent (35.1%) took place in hotels of the 4/5-star-category, followed by 3-star hotels (20.3%). However, the highest growth rates in the last few seasons were recorded in commercial holiday apartments, chalets and apartments (+8.3% with a share of 7.4% of the nights spent).
The majority of Austrian accommodation establishments are still managed as private accommodation (a total of around 44 000 of the 65 000 establishments). For these private accommodations 11.4 million nights spent were counted which is 14.4% related to the total of the summer season 2019.
Almost 10% of the overnight stays take place in campsites
On campsites, particular relevant in the summer season, about 6.3 million nights spent were registered in summer 2019, which is a share of 8.0%. About three quarters (74.1%; 4.7 million) are due to non-resident guests, 25.9% are related to resident guests (1.6 million).
Camping holidays are particularly important in Carinthia and in Burgenland. In summer 2019, about one quarter of the total nights spent was due to camping guests in Carinthia (24.1%), in Burgenland about 15.9%.