2019 was emphatically the most successful chapter in Vienna’s history as a tourist destination. Vienna’s tourism sector scaled new heights just months before this report was published and the global Covid-19 pandemic completely paralyzed the tourist industry as we know it, leaving global tourism facing its greatest challenge for decades. Once again, the city outperformed the revenue records set in 2018, with the accommodation sector reporting revenue from visitor overnights of more than EUR 1 billion for the first time ever. In fact, revenue rose twice as fast as the number of overnight stays for the second year in a row. The industry also made its mark in employment terms: every ninth job in the Austrian capital was attributable to leisure and tourism in 2019. Put simply, the product was right, demand was in tune with it and the door to high-quality growth was wide open thanks to the outstanding and consistent performance of the companies in the sector and the people working for them. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your contribution.
And then came Covid-19. The global tourism industry came to a complete standstill overnight, and is only now slowly starting to get back on its feet. Shortly before publication of this report, it had already become clear that the journey taking us back to the successes of the past will be a marathon and not a sprint. As things stand, 2020 will be hardest ever for Vienna’s visitor economy. But with your support, we are holding our own in the face of the crisis. As in the past, the City of Vienna and the Vienna Tourist Board will continue to work closely with you as the capital’s tourist industry gradually returns to normal. But during this time, we will not lose sight of our core belief that going forward, Vienna's tourism sector should focus even more clearly on sustainable development that does not undermine the foundations of its success, but is aligned with the city's targets and the needs of the people who live here.
More than ever, the principle task before us is to promote sustainable and meaningful tourism, targeting visitors who add value for the city and the people who live and work in it, and who really engage with Vienna. At the same time, tourism in the city needs to be managed better. Even though we will have to adapt many targets to reflect the change in circumstances, the basic principles of the 2025 Visitor Economy Strategy, which was developed with your support and presented in October 2019, are still every bit as valid.
Let’s get down to work – together. It is time to lay the foundations now so that we can all benefit from a highly-developed, sustainable and rewarding tourism sector tomorrow. While the current situation could not be more difficult, the commitment of everyone involved towards achieving our goals could not be greater.
