There were more overnight stays than ever before in Styrian tourism this summer season, the result of the pre-Corona year 2019 was exceeded by almost one percent. But not everything is shining: The entire tourism year (November 2020 to October 2021) brought a significant minus due to the past winter. And the new lockdown is again causing a lot of uncertainty.
July? A record month. The August? A record month. September and October as well. In the end, the curve at Styria Tourism only knew one direction: steeply upwards! That is now over with the dramatic Corona situation and the lockdown including hotels closed to tourists. In such gloomy times, a look into the recent past can warm the tourist heart: On Wednesday, the balance for the summer season 2021 (May to October) was drawn . 7,414,700 overnight stays are an increase of 16 percent compared to 2020 and a small increase of 0.8 percent compared to the previous record year of 2019. The number of arrivals was 2,349,400 – this is a significant increase of 18 percent compared to 2020, but a decrease of 6.4 percent compared to 2019. October 2021 brought 349,700 guests (an increase of 31 percent over 2020 and 6 percent over 2019) and 982,800 overnight stays (an increase of 24 percent over 2020 and 12 percent over 2019). In the entire tourism year of 2021 there was a decrease in overnight stays (8,293,000) by 2.97 million compared to 2020 and even 4.94 million compared to 2019! The number of arrivals fell to 2,509,700 guests – that is more than 900,000 fewer than in 2020. Styrian and German guests at the top Austrian guests were clearly in the majority with 1.66 million compared to foreign holidaymakers (690,000). In the federal states ranking, Styria itself leads Lower Austria and Vienna; internationally, the German guests are clearly ahead of the Dutch, Czechs and Poles. The adventure region with the highest number of overnight stays in Styria was Schladming-Dachstein with 1,764,452 overnight stays in front of the thermal baths and volcanoes as well as the Graz region. This recorded the greatest increases after the horror year 2020. Winter was a total failure The balance sheet for the entire tourism year is more clouded after the previous winter was characterized by a long lockdown and virtually a total failure. Both in terms of guests and overnight stays, there was a substantial minus of 26 percent. “We can’t afford to stand still for months like last season. That is why it is important to get the corona infection numbers under control in the coming weeks so that our operations can reopen as soon as possible, ”said Tourism State Councilor Barbara Eibinger-Miedl. Careful look across the border But it is not only the situation in Austria that is worrying. The international mix of guests shows “how worried we are currently looking at the Corona developments in our countries of origin,” says Styria Tourism Managing Director Erich Neuhold. “We hope that Styrian hosts can show this winter that a winter holiday can take place safely for the guests.”
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