Representatives of the Austrian tourism industry are looking optimistically toward the upcoming summer. According to the tourism marketing organization “Austria Tourism” (ÖW), 22.5 million guests from the ten most important markets plan to vacation in this country this summer or have already booked. In the same study last year, 21 million guests were expected for summer 2024.

In particular, among locals as well as tourists from Germany and the Netherlands, the Austrian mountains are popular, said ÖW Managing Director Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger on Tuesday before journalists. This optimism stands in no contradiction to the tourism barometer published the same day by Deloitte and the Austrian Hotel Association (ÖHV), said Franz Hörl, Chairman of the WKÖ Cable Car Trade Association. The barometer located a clearly worsened mood among tourism operators. The ÖHV had considered only the internal cost developments of hotels. There, due to energy prices and wage increases, it will be difficult to operate profitably—Hörl agreed with the barometer’s result. The ÖHV also saw an upswing in guest numbers.

Less value creation per guest in summer
Challenging for tourism businesses is that “the summer guest differs significantly from the winter guest,” said Steharnig-Staudinger. According to a guest survey by Austria Tourism, an average summer guest in Austria in 2024 generated value creation of €187 per day. In contrast, an average guest in winter (season 2023/24) spent significantly more—namely €221 per day. The source markets would also differ, added the ÖW Managing Director.

Season extension and service expectations
The expectations have also changed over the years. Previously, summer tourism meant only opening a mountain railway; meanwhile one wants to make the mountain holiday attractive in summer through various offerings, said Hörl. According to the cable car chairman, summer tourism accounts for 15 percent of total annual sales in the cable car sector. This share has stagnated for several years, but “since total sales are growing, we are already seeing an upward development.”

How long the summer season runs varies by destination. “It has now become customary to operate until early November,” said Kornel Grundner, spokesman for the “Best Austrian Summer Mountain Railways” quality seal of the WKÖ Cable Car Trade Association. Here, the domestic autumn school holidays at the end of the season provide another core period. Simply opening the railways is not enough—gastronomy offerings must also be available to tourists. Here too, a rethinking must occur among restaurateurs. “Our alpine farmers tend to take the dishes from the snack bar away along with the cows,” Hörl said pointedly.