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ItalianoUpdated 24.04.2023
A stable length of stay as well as a value added and demand that, as expected, are still slightly behind the values before Corona - these key points characterise the winter season in Tyrolean tourism that is coming to an end and with whose economic development 90 percent of the accommodation establishments are satisfied. There is confidence for the coming summer thanks to a good booking situation.
Innsbruck, 24 April 2023 - The winter season ends on 30 April. It is the first without corona-related restrictions since 2018/19, which thus forms the reference for the current result. During a press conference, industry representatives took stock. "According to a calculation by MCI Tourism, we achieved a value added of around 3.5 billion euros in this year's winter season. Adjusted for inflation, this brings us to within six percent of the value from the 2018/19 winter season," emphasised Tourism Provincial Councillor Mario Gerber. This solid winter result is also reflected in the seasonal tourism barometer, a representative survey of Tyrol's accommodation establishments. 90 percent of them are very satisfied or satisfied with the economic success of the current winter season.
Focus on quality
In the current winter season, five out of six months - November 2022 to March 2023 - have currently been evaluated. These correspond on average to around 90 percent of the total winter overnight stays. During this period, Tyrol's tourism recorded 5.1 million arrivals. This means that the result is 7.4 percent behind the comparable period before the pandemic. In terms of overnight stays, the industry is holding at 23.2 million - which is 6.8 per cent short of the 2018/19 figures. "Despite this shortfall, we are satisfied, especially since we have long been concerned with qualitative rather than quantitative growth," Gerber makes clear. "Moreover, the starting situation was anything but easy. Energy shortages, a massive increase in energy prices and high inflation caused uncertainty and restraint at the beginning of the winter season. However, the industry mastered these diverse challenges very well," says Gerber.
Every second overnight stay by a German guest
With regard to the markets of origin, the importance of Germany is once again confirmed. At 2.6 million, arrivals by German guests are down 5.1 per cent compared to the previous season 2018/19, and overnight stays are down 6.3 per cent at 11.7 million. However, every second overnight stay still comes from a German guest. There was growth from the market in the Netherlands: arrivals rose by 5.8 per cent to 650,000, overnight stays by 6.0 per cent to 3.6 million. The home market has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic level. 500.000 arrivals of guests from Austria mean a minus of 7.1 per cent. With 1.5 million overnight stays, there is a shortfall of 7.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2018/19.
The average length of stay remained stable at 4.5 days. "The longer guests stay, the fewer arrivals and departures and thus also less traffic," explained Tirol Tourist Board Managing Director Karin Seiler. "It is therefore a strategic goal of ours to extend the length of stay." In recent months, the Tirol Tourist Board has repositioned itself overall and further developed its strategy and structure in order to best meet the goals of the Tyrolean Way tourism strategy. In addition to a Future Lab for potential future topics, there is, for example, a separate competence centre for sustainability. "There we bundle topics such as climate or mobility," says Seiler.
After the great uncertainty in the run-up to the current winter season due to energy shortages and inflation, Alois Rainer was satisfied with the results so far. According to the head of the leisure and tourism division in the Tyrolean Chamber of Commerce, the businesses have coped well with the difficulties of the past winter. However, the staff situation remains a challenge. "The number of employees in tourism has grown by 40 percent since 2015. On the one hand, this is a clear sign of our consistent striving for quality, on the other hand, it is the result of more attractive framework conditions for the workforce," Rainer made clear. This is because both higher standards and more flexible working time models lead to an increased demand for employees. As this development continues, there is still a lack of urgently needed staff.
Good prospects for the summer
Good demand is expected for the summer. The seasonal tourism barometer confirms the high attractiveness of Tyrol as a holiday destination. 78 percent of the businesses are satisfied or very satisfied with the booking situation for the summer season. This is a better result than in the previous year (74 percent). "It is important to use this good demand for self-confident pricing," said Gerber. This is an important lever to increase the added value in summer, which is still behind that of winter, he said. The survey showed that about six out of ten establishments have increased prices for the coming summer season.
"In the detailed analysis of the booking situation, we also see the importance of the German market for Tyrol's tourism," Seiler explained. "According to the Tourism Barometer, 92 percent of the businesses surveyed are very satisfied or satisfied with the bookings of German guests." For the market in the Netherlands, almost 85 percent of the businesses are satisfied or very satisfied. For bookings from the Austrian home market, the figure is 80 per cent.
The Tirol Tourist Board is investing around six million euros in communication measures for the coming summer. In addition to the focus on the main holiday season, the company is also focusing on measures to promote autumn in the sense of seasonal equalisation.
Rainer, the chairman of the division, is also confident about the summer: "According to the tourism barometer, half of the accommodation businesses expect to be able to maintain last year's turnover result. 35 percent even expect to close the 2023 summer season with an increase in turnover," says Rainer. Only 13 percent expect a decline in turnover.