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OuTbOu Nd: a usTrIa 27 austria registers strong footfalls; Vienna, innsbruck lead their indian foray beating demonetization blues and insufficient direct air-connectivity, austria has seen a substantial rise in numbers from India. The interesting aspect of this growth has been the fact that over 60 percent of Indians, particularly in Vienna, have opted for 4 and 5 star accommodation, generating high revenue for the country. TF reports the recently held roadshow in the capital. One of the most recognisable statues in austria: Johann strauss monument in stadtpark Last year, we created a record. a country of only 8.3 million people, we have created a record of over 140 million overnights – and the countries that gave us the highest absolute growth are germany, Netherlands, Czech republic, switzerland and the uK. The growth picture from India, it has been really astonishing. and we have had 2,71,100 overnights, accounting for an increase of 24%, compared to 2015. These are great numbers for us. also, profits have gone up, especially in Vienna. ,, AAron WodIn-SChWArtz ChrIStIne MuKhArJI mArket mAnAGer – indiA, AUstriA nAtionAL toUrist offiCe direCtor pUbLiC poLiCy, brAnd UsA By ShAShAnK SheKhAr Austria seems to have beaten all odds to emerge as a preferred des- tination for the Indian outbound. Unfazed by demonetization and limited direct air-connectivity, the central Europe nation, nestled between Germany and Poland, has clocked impressive num- bers from the Indian shores. Speaking at a recently press interaction in the capital, Christine Mukharji, Market Manager – India, Austria National Tourist Office called their Indian foray “a tremendous success.” “We have had a roadshow and a press conference middle class travellers, right now, with higher propensity to spend.” Taking stock of the Indian outbound to Austria, she said that they have had even bet- ter numbers than the average growth. “Last year, we created a record. A country of only 8.3 million people, we have created a record of over 140 million overnights – and the coun- tries that gave us the highest absolute growth are Germany, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Switzerland and the UK,” the country man- ager added. Sharing that The federal states of Tyrol region and the region of Salzburg were the biggest beneficiary of the influx, she added “the growth picture from India, it has been really astonishing.” An emerging trend has been the high- spending by the outbound in hotels, generating substantial revenue for Austria. in Mumbai, and in Chennai – which was extremely successful. We had over a hundred visitors,” she said. Outlining numbers from India, she called Austria a “hot destination for 2017”. Detailing some serious statistics brought out by the European Tourist Commission, she informed that commission had asked MasterCard to give them a forecast on India. “In 2016, 14.5 million Indians went abroad. They are expecting an annual growth of 8.2%. By 2021, there will be over 21.5 million Indians travel- ling abroad,” she noted. Adding that there was a likelihood that driven by the changing face of the consumer profile, the trend in outbound was going to witness a tweak, she said “The middle class is growing, so a larger number of middle class travellers will head to foreign shores. This may, interestingly, also mean that the overall spend may go down by a bit, as there are larger number of upper class and upper She informed that Austria had statistics that covered 55 countries, based purely on hotel nights. “We do not go by visa, because of Schengen it is not possible. So, of all these 55 countries, India witnessed the highest growth among all countries – when it comes to percentage,” she added. Highlighting the considerable rise in the Indian outbound to Austria, she detailed that in 2016, from January to December, they have had 147,300 arrivals from India – which amounted to 25% increase compared to 2015. “And we have had 2,71,100 over- nights, accounting for an increase of 24%, compared to 2015. These are great numbers for us. Also, profits have gone up, especially in Vienna. Indians have been staying pre- dominantly in 4 and 5-star segment hotels. Almost 63% of Indians have been staying in these two segments, bringing the revenue higher for us, and we are very happy about it,” she shared. a global city, Vienna has seamlessly interwoven elements that make it a formidable tourism product Calling Vienna a global capital will not be going overboard. After all, it has been consistently ranked as the most liveable city in the world, and boasts of world-class infrastructure. However, ease of travel is only aspect in any city’s attempt to make it a destination worthwhile the experience for visitors. What truly makes Vienna a top-notch tourism product is its ability to seamlessly weave several elements, its rich history, culture, and cuisines to curate an expe- rience. A hub in Europe, Vienna is very close to other capital cities. It is in close proximity to Budapest, Prague and Bratislava, making it a perfect destination for combined trips. Vienna airport is the international hub in the region. There are direct flights, thrice a week from India, connected by Air India from Delhi, and one-stop flights from many other cities. It does not come as a surprise that most of Vienna’s overnight stays comes from the neighbouring Germany. Interestingly, China, for the first time, has figured in the list of top ten markets. India, too, is steadily climbing the ladder. In 2016, India ranked 29th in the list of countries, in arrivals, which is a significant improvement from 2015 – where it ranked 42nd. In terms of overnights, too, the increase has been a whopping 30%. Buoyed by the development, the city tour- ism board now expects an increase of overnight stay by 20-30% from India. As mentioned, the city is renowned for its world-class infrastructure, and there are several trains connecting Vienna to other regional capitals. Local sight- seeing is a hassle-free experience, courtesy a well laid out network of buses, trams and trains. Metros ply on a regular interval. Taking stock of its diverse elements, music is one of its strongest pegs. Rightly so, as the city has been no stranger to its connection with music – the city has been home to two of the greatest composers of all time, Beethoven and Mozart. Music lovers can find a number of other interesting places like the House of Mu- sic, the Mozart House Vienna, and other capital concert halls. The state opera hosts over 300 evening events. There are 15000 concerts, not only classical, but dedicated to all kinds of music. There are other elements too. One can take a leisurely stroll at the city centre; the city is extremely well accessible on foot. There are several cafes where one can sip in the local cuppa, or sample delicious cakes and pastries. It is, in fact, famous for its coffeehouse culture. It is reflected in the fact that the city is home to over 2000 coffeehouses. F&B is a strong element of the city’s overall tourism offerings. Vienna’s cuisine is, perhaps, the only cuisine to have been named on a city. There are a 9 Michelin star restaurants. There are about 50 Indian restaurants, too – which showcases not only the growing clout of the Indian outbound, but an increasing trend of vegetarianism. Vienna is also famed for its vineyards. It is the only capital city in the world to cultivate appreciable wine within its city limits. 700 hectares of vineyards pro- vide visitors the opportunity to take guided tours and taste some of the exquisite local produce.