Visitor Economy Strategy

Vienna. A diamond that needs polishing.

Vienna is the world’s most livable city. As multifaceted as a diamond, but also with some rough edges. The city is valuable for the people who live here, and for those who have fallen in love with it. And that is exactly why we have to treat it with such care.

The past few years have been marked by exceptional success followed by a deep cut into Vienna’s visitor economy as a result of the pandemic. The crisis meant that the ambitious goals originally set out in the Visitor Economy Strategy in 2019 had to be adapted to reflect the current situation. The goal is to get back to where we were before Covid-19 emerged, make a strong statement on sustainability despite the economic challenges and ensure that visitor satisfaction remains at a high level. Changes in the political, economic and social frameworks, as well as new technology – all of this brings new challenges and a great deal of development potential. However, Vienna’s strategy of promoting quality tourism and the fundamental principles of the Visitor Economy Strategy remain unchanged even in the face of Covid-19.

Vienna’s Visitor Economy Strategy 2025 views success as a remit to continue shaping the destination and to facet and polish the diamond in order to retain – and increase – its value. The city welcomes anyone who is prepared to treat it with the same consideration, as it works to add value for all stakeholders.

Our vision

In its Visitor Economy Strategy, Vienna is developing a vision for the future that has beneficial and sustainable growth of the destination at its heart. The needs of visitors and residents are carefully balanced. The idea is that visitors do not just “consume” the city and what it has to offer, with the visitor economy instead making an active contribution to the city’s qualities: to the quality of life that sets Vienna apart, and which locals and visitors alike benefit from (quality of life), to the quality of the time spent in the city, and the quality and variety of the offering (quality of place) and finally to the quality of the guest experience (quality of experience).

Our approach

The basis for achieving this vision is the concept of a sustainable visitor economy that extends far beyond the standard definition of tourism: the term ”visitors” applies to all guests who come to Vienna for a short break or longer stay, who live, work or study here, go shopping or stroll the streets, make use of its cultural and leisure facilities – always leaving some form of trace in the process, whether it takes the shape of economic effects, their outside view of the city, or through the wealth of influences, idea and skills that they bring to Vienna. This will also require collaboration between a considerably broader ecosystem of participants, as well as carefully aligned strategies and new forms of cooperation.

Our objective

The visitor economy needs to add value. For the companies in the ecosystem, this is a question of business added value; for the city and its residents, it means city added value.

We measure this using a series of key performance indicators which monitor aspects including revenue from visitor overnights and induced economic impact. In addition, residents’ satisfaction is put on an equal footing with the quality of the experience for guests. The goal of greater sustainability and safeguarding resources should manifest itself at institutions in the city and among guests, whose ecological footprint will be reduced.

The visitor economy needs to add value. For the companies in the ecosystem, this is a question of business added value; for the city and its residents, it means city added value.

We measure this using a series of key performance indicators which monitor aspects including revenue from visitor overnights and induced economic impact. In addition, residents’ satisfaction is put on an equal footing with the quality of the experience for guests. The goal of greater sustainability and safeguarding resources should manifest itself at institutions in the city and among guests, whose ecological footprint will be reduced.

Our agenda

The Visitor Economy Strategy outlines three central action areas that the city will prioritize with the support of its partners in the ecosystem over the next few years:

Place Making & Place Marketing: new and interesting locations within the destination will create additional attractions for visitors and help to ensure that the positive effects of the visitor economy are better distributed in the city.
Meeting Destination Vienna: the congress and business events industry, today one of the flagship segments of Vienna’s visitor economy, will be increasingly used in future to increase the international visibility and competitiveness of the city as a business location.
Smart Solutions: the Vienna visitor economy is committed to promoting careful and sustainable use of natural resources and developing smart solutions so that the destination will continue to offer the quality of life to future generations that sets it apart today.

Our values

In all points, the Visitor Economy Strategy is based on fundamental values that are perhaps more important today than ever before:

Premium: Vienna is committed to delivering premium quality. Not just as a hallmark, but also as a reflection of our mission to continue investing in and fighting for it.
Cosmopolitan: Vienna is all about open-mindedness, diversity and tolerance. Cosmopolitan Vienna embodies the ideal of the European city. It is the major city in the heart of Europe and sees its international make-up and the diversity of its inhabitants as a strength.
Digital: Vienna focuses on innovation and the latest technology. Not just to be part of the latest trend, but for the benefit of visitors and residents under its digital humanism approach.

Partnerships for implementing the strategy

The Visitor Economy Strategy was developed in a broad-based dialog involving numerous stakeholders. Representatives from the City of Vienna and its districts, the tourist industry and numerous other sectors of the visitor economy have played an active role.

The Vienna Tourist Board initiated the strategic process, and will play a central role in the strategy’s implementation. However, the entire ecosystem that constitutes Vienna’s visitor economy has a part to play in turning the jointly-formulated vision into reality. To facilitate this, the Vienna Tourist Board will continue to actively support the process of information sharing, reflection and development at various different levels over the years to come.