Austria looks to further arrivals growth in 2010
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The Austria National Tourist Office (ANTO) will be looking to build on its success with the Middle East market over the last five years this ATM by reminding agents of Austria’s diverse offering during what is now the peak booking period pre-summer.
“Our contacts in the travel trade tell us it will be another fabulous summer for Austria,” said ANTO Director Middle East Klaus Ehrenbrandtner.
“In the last five years, arrivals from the Middle East to Austria increased by 125% – 2009 was the only year with a slight decrease in arrivals of 5%, the main reason for it being cancellations due to the fear of H1N1 in last summer.
“So we expect the trade to gear up with new information and destination know-how at our stand so they can meet the demand for Austria holidays that is out there waiting already.”
He said ATM is presented the opportunity to “update the trade at a time when the major bookings are coming in”.
“They need to know about the beautiful places in Tirol, where to get a room in Zell am See or Salzburg in peak season and of course, that Vienna was voted the city with the best living quality in the world,” added Ehrenbrandtner
“And they need to be aware that indeed the most romantic time to visit Austria is May and June already, when all the flowers in the park are blooming and all the trees blossoming.”
He said exhibitors at the stand would include “a nice mix of ‘evergreens’ and newcomers”.
“We know that Middle Eastern tourists appreciate that in Austria they can combine a stay in a historic romantic city centre in Vienna, Salzburg or Innsbruck with a stay in the Alpine region with its spectacular panoramic views and the crystal clear lakes,” he said.
The Middle East is one of the fastest growing markets for Austria and has become the third biggest overseas market after North America and Japan, according to Ehrenbrandtner.
“Most of our guests do still come from Germany, the Netherlands and other European countries but it has been the Austrian National Tourist Office’s policy to focus on the overseas market in recent years – and figures show we were right in doing so,” he said. “However, some people in the trade here are still not aware that Austria has been in the top ten list of countries with the highest international arrivals and tourism receipts worldwide in the last few years.”
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