Austria
How do you welcome tourists in Austria?
Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner: With a warm welcome and an exciting range of offerings for a great holiday in Austria.
What is the special charm of Austria?
Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner: Our guests will experience a distinctive landscape featuring the Alps, Danube and lakes, our rich historical heritage, and a wide range of cultural experiences. Add to this our culinary delights, and above the hospitality for which we are noted all over the world.
What are your favourite spots and festivals in Austria?
Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner: As a cyclist and mountain biker, I love to explore new routes and trails across Austria. In the summer, I prefer to spend my holidays at one of the Carinthian lakes, but I also visit the Bregenz and Salzburg Festivals or local cultural festivals in rural areas. I particularly like “Mühlviertel”, my Upper Austrian home region.
What is your personal hint to the foreign visitors in Austria? What should nobody miss when visiting your country?
Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner: Austria’s beautiful nature in the Alps and along the Danube. Our tourist establishments provide innovative offerings throughout the year. In the winter I would recommend a skiing holiday. Austria is Europe’s number one winter sports destination.
What local dishes would you personally offer to a friend and visitor?
Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner: Our traditional cuisine is well-known for its “Wiener Schnitzel” or boiled beef called “Tafelspitz”. We also have countless regional specialties. The best idea is to simply go ahead and taste Austria’s delicatessen.
When is the nicest time in a year to visit Austria?
Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner: Every season has its own particular charm. You can enjoy Austria 365 days a year.
How important is tourism in Austria?
Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner: Tourism is booming in Austria. Our tourism establishments recently achieved a new annual record with about 135 million roomnights. The tourism sector employs around 280,000 people, with two thirds working for hotels and restaurants. Overall, tourism is a major pillar for our economy, securing growth and employment within the country.
What is your strategy to further develop tourism in Austria?
Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner: We are seeking to further strengthen and develop our position as one of the world’s leading tourism countries. Thanks to an internationalization campaign, we are currently tapping new source markets, aiming to inspire even more people to spend their holidays in Austria. The crucial factor is ongoing investment in new offerings.
What should a visitor in Austria do that would make the local people smile? And what would the locals in Austria do to make visitors smile?
Dr. Reinhold Mitterlehner: A great deal of friendliness, mutual consideration and occasionally a few small surprises. This applies both to locals and our guests, no matter where they come from.
