Vienna International Tourism Industry News

Vienna Biennale 2015: Ideas for Change

Between June 11 and October 4, 2015 the Austrian capital will host its first ever interdisciplinary Biennale: this year’s edition aims to bring together art, design and architecture, and harness the power of creative ideas and artistic projects in its search for positive change.

June 1, 2015

Tolerance and Equality: Vienna Pride and Rainbow Parade

The 20th Rainbow Parade on Vienna’s Ringstrasse (20.6.) and the Vienna Pride (16.-21.6.) with the Pride Village on City Hall Square will set a sign for tolerance and equality.

May 29, 2015

Vienna's Glittering Summer Balls: The Concordia Ball and the Fête Impériale

Two glittering summer balls will be celebrated in Vienna: The Concordia Ball (19.6.) in Vienna City Hall and the Fête Impériale (26.6.) in the Spanish Imperial Riding School. The Concordia Ball has been one of Vienna's most sparkling and exclusive events for over 150 years. The Fête Impériale is famous for its opulent and imaginative decorations, and is held once again this year under the motto "Red-White-Red".

May 28, 2015

Analysis: The Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Vienna

The Eurovision Song Contest 2015 has been the 60th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest musical event. The contest took place in Vienna and followed Conchita Wurst's victory in the 2014 edition with her song "Rise Like a Phoenix". The song "Heroes" by Måns Zelmerlöw took the winning spot in the 60th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna with 365 points. The 2016 Eurovision Song Contest will therefore be held in Sweden.

May 16, 2015 · Updated: May 28, 2015; 08:00

The Eurovision Song Contest Village: "Let's Meet at Rathausplatz"

In the week leading up to the ESC finals in Vienna, Rathausplatz – the square in front of Vienna City Hall – will be turned into the Eurovision Village from 18 to 23 May 2015. It will be THE place to be for everyone interested in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2015. The programme starts on 18 May with the opening event featuring an international fashion show, and will continue with themed days, live performances by ESC contestants, a colourful family programme. On 23 May, the ESC finals will be broadcast live from Stadthalle and shown on Rathausplatz. For one week, the framework event under the motto "Hello Vienna. Welcome Europe!" will highlight the very best of the Eurovision nations, including culinary delights from different countries.

May 15, 2015

Germanwings Flight 9525: Captain Tried to Break into Cockpit with Axe, Co-Pilot Hid Illness

The latest reports prove that German Wings captain Patrick Sondenheimer tried to break into locked cockpit door 'with an axe' as plane was descending. German police have been searching the home of co-pilot Andreas Lubitz and his parents. They found a ripped-up sick note showing that he tried to hide his illness from employer German Wings.

March 27, 2015

Analysis: Crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 - Investigation and Latest Responses

Yesterday Germanwings Flight 9525 from Barcelona to Düsseldorf, an Airbus A320-200, crashed around 100 kilometres (62 mi) northwest of Nice, in the French Alps. All 144 passengers and six crew members died. People on board by nationality were: Germany 67, Spain 45, Kazakhstan 3, Mexico 3, Argentina 2, Australia 2, Colombia 2, Croatia 2, Japan 2, Morocco 2, Belgium 1, Denmark 1, Israel 1, Netherlands 1, Turkey 1, United Kingdom Several (unconfirmed), and unknown 15. The aircraft had reached its cruising altitude, flight level 380 (approx. 38,000 ft [12,000 m]) at 9:27 GMT. Three minutes later the aircraft began its descent - the purpose of the descent is not currently known. 14 minutes after the initial descent, radar contact with the aircraft was lost. Meanwhile the first cockpit voice recorder was recovered by rescue workers and is being examined by the investigation team. The recorder was damaged in the crash, but was said to be still in a "usable" condition. The search for the flight data recorder was to be a priority when the recovery operation resumed. It is the third-deadliest crash of an Airbus A320, after TAM Airlines Flight 3054 and Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501, and the third-deadliest aviation disaster on French soil, after Turkish Airlines Flight 981 and Inex-Adria Aviopromet Flight 1308. Unusually, the plane appears not to have deviated from its flight plan during its descent.

March 25, 2015 · Updated: March 26, 2015; 14:30

German Wings Crash: No Austrians or Transit Passengers to Vienna Were Aboard

It is believed that no Austrians or direct transit passengers to Vienna were aboard the crashed Germanwings plane. "None of the passengers from Düsseldorf held connecting flights to Vienna, so we believe this tragedy has not affected any Austrians. However, we do not as yet have a passenger list of those who were on the flight," Lufthansa said.

March 24, 2015 · Updated: March 26, 2015; 10:45

German Airliner with 150 People Crashes in Southern France

An Airbus A320 airliner of German low-cost airline Germanwings crashed in the French Alps near Digne carrying 144 passengers and six crew members. "All 150 feared dead" says Fancois Hollande. It is unclear whether Austrian passengers were on board.

March 24, 2015 · Updated: March 24, 2015; 14:45

Vienna Celebrates 150 Years of the Ringstrasse

Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph officially opened Vienna's Ringstrasse on May 1, 1865. The boulevard, which is 5.3 kilometers long and 56 meters wide, was an elegant promenade for the upper classes. This year Vienna is celebrating its 150th birthday with numerous events and exhibitions. The "most beautiful boulevard in the world" not only has a wealth of sights, it also has large parks and important monuments.

March 6, 2015

Vienna to Have Two Million Inhabitants in 2029

Vienna is already the city with the second largest population in the German-speaking countries. But Vienna is growing faster than ever. This development entails a tremendous challenge for Vienna. Based on the figures now available, investments totalling seven billion euros will have to be made by the year 2020 in the areas of child care, public transport, other infrastructure facilities and health services alone.

February 20, 2015

Swarovski Crystal Worlds to Reopen End of April

Swarovski Kristallwelten will reopen on April 30, 2015. A total volume of 34 million Euros has been invested. The space will be more than doubled to 7.5 hectares. In addition to the all-encompassing renovations in the garden all around the iconic Giant, five Chambers of Wonder are being redesigned entirely from scratch.

February 20, 2015

Vienna as a Business Location - The City at a Glance

Vienna combines tradition, culture and quality of life with the factors of a top business location in a unique way. A stable political and economic environment, a research and technology-friendly climate, geographical and cultural proximity to the growth markets in the east and, not least, the highest quality of life in the world provide for a place at the very top of the world’s rankings.

January 27, 2015

Vienna as a Business Location - Areas of Strength

Vienna combines tradition, culture and quality of life with the factors of a top business location in a unique way. A stable political and economic environment, a research and technology-friendly climate, geographical and cultural proximity to the growth markets in the east and, not least, the highest quality of life in the world provide for a place at the very top of the world’s rankings.

January 22, 2015

10 Reasons Why You Should Invest In Vienna

In this post you'll find the top 10 reasons why your company or institution should consider investing in Vienna/Austria. In fact, we'll share the international studies which confirm the numbers and facts including its closest competitors. We look at the quality of living, the smart cities index, the prosperity, international congresses and conventions, the most reputable cities, the innovation cities index, online cities, business friendliness and other factors that influence the decision making.

January 20, 2015

Vienna Among Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2015

One of the world’s best known publishers of independent travel and language guides, Lonely Planet, has ranked Vienna as one of the top 10 cities “not to be missed” by travellers in 2015. According to Lonely Planet, there is no better time to visit Austria than next year during the Eurovision Song Contest 2015, which takes place in Vienna. The list also includes destinations like Washington, Milan, Chennai or Toronto.

October 24, 2014

Eurovision Song Contest 2015: The Winner is Vienna

"As an internationally-minded city, Vienna is the best venue for this event, and will prove its cosmopolitan nature to the international public. Most importantly, we want the Song Contest on 23 May 2015 to be a cause for celebration for everyone in Vienna - locals and guests alike." says Mayor Michael Häupl.

August 6, 2014

Cost of Living Rankings: CEE Capitals Cheaper, Vienna is 32nd Most Expensive City

The Mercer's 2014 Cost of Living Rankings have been published and cover 211 cities across five continents. While Western European cities have all risen in the rankings mainly due to the strengthening of the Euro against the US dollar, most cities in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), however have fallen in the ranking as a result of local currencies depreciating against the US dollar. Bratislava (#84), Prague (#92), Kiev (#98), Ljubljana (#116), Zagreb (#120), Budapest (#135), Warsaw (#142), Belgrade (#184).

July 25, 2014

Hilton Vienna Plaza Finishes First Stage of €20 Million Re-design

Hilton Vienna Plaza is currently undergoing extensive renovation as part of a €20 million modernisation that will see the entire hotel transformed. The first stage of the re-design is set for tomorrow, June 6, 2014, followed by the full re-opening in September 2014.

June 5, 2014

Croatia: Adris Grupa to Bid for Insurer Croatia Osiguranje

The Croatian financial regulator HANFA has approved Adris Grupa, the largest tobacco company on the Balkans, placing its bid to take over insurance company Croatia Osiguranje.

May 12, 2014

Austria: Unemployment Rate Rises Once Again

Once again the unemployment rate in Austria saw a significant rise. More than 440,000 persons were registered jobsless in February.

March 3, 2014

Wifo: Austrian Economic Growth Still Sluggish

Seasonally adjusted and corrected for working day effects, GDP increased by 0.2 percent compared to the second quarter. The upturn becomes evident only in a very moderate pace.

December 9, 2013

Stable Outlook for Recovery of Austrian Economy

The outlook for economic improvement has stabilized. Both Wifo’s economy test and Wifo’s early indicator point to an upward trend.

November 8, 2013

Croatia: Hypo Group Losing Last Industrial Participation

Croatian chemical company Dioki is facing bankruptcy which is why Hypo Group is losing one of the last industrial participations in the country.

October 14, 2013

IMF: „Banks and Companies in a Vicious Circle“

Not only Greece, Spain or Portugal are struggling with a financially stricken banking sector. In Southeastern Europe, the situation is quite similar.

October 11, 2013

Modest Increase in Croatian Purchase Power

Croatian per capita consumer spending is forecast to increase by a modest 18% to 2017.

October 1, 2013

Romania: West Region to Catch Up Economically

Romania's West Region aims to catch up with its more developed peers in the European Union.

September 9, 2013

Croatia: Record Year in Tourism

Croatia will have a record year in tourism says Minister.

September 9, 2013

Serbia: UK Enterprises Likely to Invest in Serbia

70 British companies are interested in investing in Serbia's economy.

September 6, 2013

Turkey Wants to Become 9th Largest Economy by 2050

Turkey is hoping to become the ninth largest economy worldwide by the year 2050. Growth rates will be around 5.2 percent in the years from 2012 to 2017.

August 30, 2013

Wifo: Economic Growth with Brakes On

Economic upswing will take time. Considering the individual branches an uneven picture emerges.

August 9, 2013

Mitterlehner: Romania Offers New Chances for Austrian Economy

Austrian Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner met his Romanian counterpart Varujan Vosganian in Vienna.

June 25, 2013

Significant Trade Surplus in 2012 Reflects Austria's Competitive Strength

Despite the crisis, Austria managed to achieve a significant trade surplus in services in 2012. At the same time it was possible to eliminate Austria's foreign debt in full.

June 4, 2013

Bosnia, Serbia and Turkey to Sign Economic and Trade Agreement

Ministers for trade and economy from Ankara, Belgrade and Sarajevo agreed to improve economic relations in an effort to enhance shared trade.

May 15, 2013

Positive Development in Austrian Winter Tourism

Current tourism winter season 2012/13: overnights rise by 5.3%

April 25, 2013

Bulgaria: Sofia As Most Affordable Tourist Destination

Huffington Post has nominated Bulgarian capital Sofia to be the most affordable tourist destination in Europe.

April 24, 2013

Global Demand for Tourism Knowhow From Austria

Tourism in Austria is a unique success story. Companies, cities and municipalities from all over the world are profiting from the knowhow of Austria’s tourism experts.

April 23, 2013

Croatia: Greece As A Threat To 2013 Tourism

Last year Croatian tourism proceeds increased 3.2 % on a year-on-year comparision. However, with Greek tourism expected to rebound to pre-crisis standards, the country fears to be left behind in the competition.

April 22, 2013

"Croatia Will Not Benefit From Joining The EU"

Croatia will join the European Union as the 28th member state in a few months. Economists criticize the country for not carrying out enough reforms and only focusing on tourism.

March 22, 2013

Austrian Tourism Industry Performs Well

First half of tourism winter season 2012/13: 2.1% rise in overnights due to non-resident visitors.

February 26, 2013

Austria: Economic Sentiment on the Rise

The Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) underlines that the economic slowdown comes to a standstill.

February 8, 2013

Austrian Tourism Records New All-Time-High

Tourism in 2012: Almost 131 million overnights mark new all-time-high in number of overnights.

January 25, 2013

Significant Upward Trend in Austrian Tourism Sector

Positive start in winter season 2012/13: 4.15 million overnights in November. The number of guests from Italy and Russia is growing remarkably.

January 4, 2013

WIFO: South Europe Needs New Industrial Policy

The Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) stresses that Spain, Greece and Portugal need new growth measures instead of austerity cuts.

December 15, 2012

Summer season 2012: Holidaying in Austria Continues to be Very Popular

Over 19 million guests in the 2012 summer season did not only lead to a new record, but also to 65.6 million overnights.

December 6, 2012

Hungary: Tourism Industry Booms

In October, public accommodation establishments saw a 9.1% rise in arrivals.

December 5, 2012

Austria: Services and Tourism Contribute to Increase in Trade Surplus

Austria's trade surplus doubled in the first half of the year to € 3.5bn, despite a fall in goods traffic.

November 13, 2012

Congresses: Vienna Leads the Ranking

Regarding the number of congresses, Vienna still ranks first as event location. The outlook is promising.

September 24, 2012

New Record in Croatian Tourism Sector

In the first eight months of 2012, about 10 million tourists came to Croatia. This is a new record level.

September 15, 2012

Austrian Tourism Has Good Prospects

Start of summer season 2012: 16.8% more overnights and 14.4% more guests in May 2012.

June 25, 2012