Tourism Breaking News
Vienna records more than 112.231 bed nights in July and August 2022 from Arab countries in Asia, which is around 80% of its pre-Corona volume from 2019. The United Arab Emirates top the list with 41.191 bed nights spent in Vienna only, followed by Saudi Arabia with 30.885. While two thirds of the overnight stays are divided between these two countries, the last third is made up of the remaining neighboring Arab counties. During the summer months of 2022 there were again numerous direct flights from the GCC counties to Vienna. The airlines operated several times a week: the most frequent flights to Vienna were from Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with an average of between 10 and 14 connections/frequencies per country per week. Airlines from Kuwait also landed in Vienna on average 4 times a week.
Around half of the overnight stays from the Arab region that are made in Vienna are generated in July and August. In total, there were 2.788.720 overnight stays in Vienna in the months of July and August. The strongest source markets are Germany, Austria, and the USA. “I am very happy about the excellent summer in Vienna, where overnight stays from the GCC region and its neighboring countries have already reached 80% of the 2019 volume again. The city highly values this group of guests who come to Vienna to enjoy its exclusive shopping opportunities, family friendly activities and unique flavours. Vienna offers as a year-round destination many new experiences for our guests from the GCC like the recently opened Mythos Mozart and the sightseeing platform on the Giant Ferris Wheel among others” says Matthias Schwindl Media Relations Manager Middle East, Vienna Tourist Board.
Vienna a year-round destination
Vienna has always been one of the top travel destinations in the world thanks to its international flair and its perfect combination of history, nature, culture and sights making it an ideal city to visit regardless the time of the year. During the warm season, the Austrian capital becomes a hub for many vacationers especially from the Arab counties thanks to its moderate climate and beautiful landscapes. With more than 50 percent green space in the city, Vienna is one of the greenest metropolises in the world. Forests, meadows, gardens and fields form a veritable belt around the more densely built-up areas. Every year, 360,000 spring flowers, 1.5 million summer flowers, 60,000 autumn flowers and the blossoms of one million bulbs beautify the city.
Wintertime in Vienna is a special experience as well. The roads are magically illuminated and lights sparkle on every corner, especially during the festive season where all sorts of things are waiting to be discovered at the advent markets, from culinary specialties to handicrafts.
Top new experiences for Arab guests
Mythos Mozart: A New Multimedia Experience to All the Senses
The interactive, virtual Mythos Mozart experience opened on September 16, in the very spot that Mozart composed The Magic Flute and his Requiem (now Kärntner Strasse 19, basement level of the Steffl department store). Mozart lived in Vienna for ten years – a period which was also his most prolific.
The multimedia encounter with the musical genius is set up as a 60-minute round tour, which gets under way with Mozart’s Requiem – in a space where 1,500 candles, silhouette projection and sounds create an almost religious experience. A painted, animated 360-degree panorama showing what the city looked like in the composer’s day dominates the second room: Mozart’s Vienna. Mozart’s World of Music has a much more hands-on focus, while Mozart’s Genius turns the spotlight on his creativity. The tour concludes with a series of fantastic digital images in the Mozart Forever room.
Sightseeing platform on the Giant Ferris Wheel for its 125th birthday
Standing on a specially-installed glass and steel platform, visitors in search of an adrenaline rush can enjoy a flight of fancy not enjoyed by anyone since the original engineers built the Riesenrad back in 1897. Just to be clear: there are no side walls and no roof. Secured in a safety harness, thrill seekers can lap up the views high above the city.
ivie City Guide App: Discover Vienna with Personalized Content
Your very own personalized Vienna experience: ivie, the free digital city guide for Vienna (iOS and Android), which has been downloaded from the app stores more than 200,000 times, now offers personalized inspiration and information under the new FOR YOU feature – putting bespoke content in the palms of all visitors to the capital. But that’s not all: ivie’s WALKS & GUIDES feature is the perfect way to explore Vienna on foot or by topic.
