Underlying Principles
International
The Vienna Tourist Board is an afiliate member of the World Tourism Organization (UN Toursim) and its membership demonstrates its commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.
The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (GCET) is a comprehensive set of principles that acts as an underlying frame of reference for responsible and sustainable tourism that was conceived as a guide for key actors in the development of the tourism industry. The code’s ten articles address the economic, social, cultural and ecological elements of travel and tourism.
The Vienna Tourist Board is also committed to the UN Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals. The Agenda provides an internationally binding framework that systematically addresses every dimension of sustainable development to help ensure a better life for all in line with the principle of “Leaving no one behind.”
The Vienna Tourist Board’s spheres of activity correspond to the guidelines set out in the European Transition Pathway for Tourism, which was presented by the European Commission in February 2022. It contains the most important measures, goals and conditions for bringing about ecological and digital change and for increasing the resilience of the tourism sector in the long term. The guidelines encourage the tourism community to implement measures in 27 areas, for instance in relation to the circular economy, digitization and employee training.
Strategic principles of the city of Vienna
The city of Vienna reached a milestone in combating the causes of climate change and managing its consequences as far back as 2014 with the launch of the Smart City Vienna framework strategy, the goals of which are intended to be achieved by 2050. It is the binding framework for the Vienna Tourist Board and ensures contributions are made to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 was anchored in the Viennese government’s coalition deal in 2020. Revisions to the Vienna Smart City Strategy were completed on February 23, 2022: this smart “climate” city framework strategy now defines eleven fields of action with 74 specific objectives that will help Vienna to become carbon neutral by 2040. The city of Vienna set a process in motion in 2022 that will give substance to this goal in the form of the Vienna Climate Roadmap. The program aims to make Vienna carbonneutral while continuing to be a very liveable city and contains upwards of 100 measures designed to bring about carbon-neutrality by 2040. It is a social climate policy for Vienna that puts the welfare and health of everyone in the city in the limelight.
On March 27, 2025, the Vienna Climate Act was passed by the Vienna Provincial Parliament. It is the first climate law at the federal province level in Austria and provides a clear and binding framework for Vienna's path to climate neutrality by 2040.
The Vienna Climate Act defines the most important goals, instruments, and structures. The goal of climate neutrality and a climate-neutral administration by 2040, as well as the pillars of climate protection, climate adaptation, and the circular economy, are enshrined in the law, as are the social design of the measures, awareness-raising, and the collaboration between science, civil society, businesses, and local authorities.
Strategic principles of the Vienna Tourist Board
Visitor Economy Strategy
The Visitor Economy Strategy forms the basis for sustainable tourism development in Vienna. With its vision of Quality of Life, Place & Experience, it places the city's sustainable development at its core. The central mission is Optimum Tourism: to create a balance between visitor satisfaction and the quality of life for residents, ensuring healthy growth and a competitive future. The Sustainable Tourism Observatory is a key instrument for this. It serves as a compass for fact-based decisions, measuring the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of sustainability using eleven indicators, making progress transparent, and identifying trends early on. At the same time, it is a platform for cooperation and innovation – ensuring that sustainable tourism in Vienna does not remain merely a vision but becomes a verifiable reality.
Corporate strategy / Mindset and goals
In its capacity as the official destination marketing and management agency for Vienna, the Vienna Tourist Board engages in innovative destination marketing and sustainable destination management from the perspective of Vienna’s visitor economy. Our activities are economically, ecologically and socially sustainable, while we also generate impetus and engage in networking. Positioning Vienna as an international premium brand and top meeting destination is one of the key objectives of the corporate strategy, as is forging strategic partnerships for Vienna’s visitor economy.
