Vienna in the year 2020: 18 million bednights, 1 billion euros in turnover by the hospitality sector, and direct flights from an additional 20 cities throughout the world – these are the objectives of Vienna’s 2020 Tourism Strategy recently presented by the Vienna Tourist Board.
“The new long-term strategy for Vienna’s destination development is based on the theme ‘Global.Smart.Premium’,” explains Director of Tourism Norbert Kettner. “Vienna is consolidating its status as a cosmopolitan metropolis and economic hub of Central Europe, and profiling itself through its living culture of sustainability, sophisticated urban technologies, intelligent mobility solutions and its high standards as a green city – as a ‘smart and glamorous city’. ‘Premium’ refers to our strategy of quality leadership in our tourism offerings – from arrival and accommodation to sightseeing, culture and entertainment, shopping and gastronomy, Vienna’s guests receive products and services of the highest quality in every price category.”
The objectives can be condensed into a simple formula: 5 x 400 + 20 = 2020. Kettner: “Our aim is five million more bednights by 2020, as well as 400 million euros more net room revenues over 2013, and 20 more cities worldwide offering direct flights to Vienna than today.” Bednights would then be around 18 million, breaking the one billion euro barrier for net room revenues.
The Vienna Tourist Board invited representatives of the Vienna tourism industry and an advisory board of international experts to help develop this strategy. An “open innovation” ideas competition provided additional inspiration: the public was invited via the internet and social media platforms to contribute new, unconventional, and even provocative proposals for the destination Vienna. The concept can be downloaded in English and German at http://tourismstrategy2020.vienna.info.
