Austrian Winter Tourism Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

Austrian Winter Tourism Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

APA/BARBARA GINDL

Despite the economic crisis, Austrian tourism is recovering strongly and is expected to fully bounce back from the pandemic and its travel restrictions this winter. Bookings in hotels, guesthouses, and holiday apartments for the 2024/25 season are approaching the levels of six years ago, the last full winter season (2018/19) before COVID-19. “The industry is constantly seeking new staff,” said Tourism State Secretary Susanne Kraus-Winkler (ÖVP) to APA.

Current data shows promising booking trends, with “last year recording 71 million overnight stays, compared to nearly 73 million in 2018/19. We’re working towards that level again, and this year, we might exceed last year by 1.8 million overnight stays,” said Kraus-Winkler. “Even the cable car operators expect a better season than last year.”

Persistent Labor Shortages

The industry continues to face significant labor shortages. “The sector would hire more people if it were easier to find them—within the EU, the labor market is practically exhausted as everyone needs more workers,” Kraus-Winkler reported. “There are particularly large gaps in service positions.”

A recently enacted regulation increased the seasonal worker quota for non-EU employees by around 500, bringing the total to 4,985. However, this provides only minimal relief.

“There isn’t a single month with fewer than 200,000 employees in tourism, and during peak season, the number rises to between 240,000 and 250,000,” Kraus-Winkler said. From May 1, 2025, entry-level wages for unskilled workers will increase to €2,000 gross per month under a collective agreement, with free room and board included.

Austrian nationals now make up just 40% of the workforce, down from approximately 48% in 2019 before the pandemic. This decline is “gradual but consistent,” according to the State Secretary.

Winter Tourism Beyond Snow

Despite labor shortages, business is booming during the holiday season. “Bookings for Christmas and New Year’s Eve are currently very strong,” Kraus-Winkler emphasized. “Outside the holidays, guests still tend to book at the last minute, depending on the weather and snow conditions.”

Regional differences remain, with Lower Austria unable to compare to western regions, where many ski resorts opened early this year due to favorable winter weather. The combination of an early start and snowmaking promises a strong season.

However, the ongoing warming trend is forcing the tourism industry to adapt. “We’re already diversifying winter offerings with spa and wellness options, which are popular across all regions,” Kraus-Winkler explained. “We’re also expanding winter sports beyond skiing to include activities like winter hiking—with or without skis—and cycling.” Austria aims to maintain its reputation as an alpine winter sports destination that remains attractive even without snow.

Kraus-Winkler, who co-founded and co-owns the Loisium Resorts and is a partner in the harry’s home hotel group, hopes the new government will ease labor market access for workers from non-EU countries, reduce bureaucracy for small and micro businesses, and implement investment-friendly tax policies. “The issue of energy costs also needs to be addressed,” added Kraus-Winkler, reflecting on nearly three years as Tourism State Secretary with extensive entrepreneurial experience.

Significant progress has been made in areas such as sustainability, Austrian tourism promotion (ÖW), the Hotel and Tourism Bank (ÖHT), digitization, labor market policies, and taxation. “You could say I’ve been a kind of lobbyist for tourism in the government,” Kraus-Winkler concluded.

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